Breaking Isn't Always Bad
by 99bottlestogo
Summary: In the small town of Storybrooke, Maine, two young children set out to turn the town on it's head. All they have between them is the book their teacher gave them, and the belief that they can make things better. But, with a theory as wild as theirs will anyone actually take a chance on two young troublemakers?
1. Pilot

Disclaimer: Does not own Once Upon a Time. Never Will. Just Ally.

* * *

01- Pilot

If there is one thing that Ally Lucas knew for sure today, is that she was going to be in so much trouble when she got back home. Sneaking out to meet her best friend Henry at their castle was one thing, but leaving town on a bus was something entirely different.

That was Ally's problem though. She would do anything for Henry Mills, since he was her one and only friend (there's his sister but she's not sure if that counts). The whole reason she's in this mess in the first place is because Henry is not happy. Henry and Ally have no friends at school, and his mother is not the friendliest person per say.

The only person Henry really likes in his family is his sister Rose, and he doesn't spend as much time with her since she's fourteen, four years older than them. The whole reason that they are doing this is because of a book, a book that Henry got from their teacher Mary Margaret a couple weeks ago.

The book was chalked full of fairy tales even going as far to be aptly named _Once Upon a Time_. These weren't normal run of the mill fairytales. When Ally and Henry looked over the stories that recess nothing was like it was in the Disney movies. There was a lot more adventure and many of the princesses in the book turned out to be name taking, butt kicking, bad asses.

The two ten-year-olds were hooked. That afternoon after school the two got together at their hideout and started reading the stories. That's when the unexpected happened. The pictures in the book looked like people they knew around town, even people that they were related to.

When Ally and Henry read through the whole book, that's when Henry said that they were going to take action. He wasn't going to live with his mom anymore. He was going to find his real mother. Ally on the other hand wasn't so sure if she believed like Henry did that this book of fairytales were real.

It had stories in there about people she knew and even more, stories about her mother and grandmother. Reading the tale had given her such a different picture of the two women then she had in real life. It was amazing and as much as she tried to reason with herself, it gave her hope.

Ally wanted the book to be real. So that's why she agreed to go with Henry when he told her one recess that he had found his mom. She helped him plan the whole thing, and when he told her this afternoon that tonight was the night, she agreed.

So that's how young Ally Lucas ended up in the window seat of a Greyhound Bus headed to Boston. Her forehead is resting against the glass while she watches the countryside fade away and begin to give way to suburbs. Ally had never seen so many cars and people before and it was fascinating.

Ally had to admit that she was excited to finally see the world and not the inside of their small little town that never seemed to change. Though now that she thought of it this book explained the reason for that as well. Ally peeled her gaze away from the window and turned to look at her best friend.

He was currently hunched over the book looking fondly at the reunion scene between Snow White and Prince Charming. I could understand why he wanted to believe in them so badly.

The old woman across the aisle from us leaned over to get a better look at the page. "That a good book?" She asks us kindly with a smile.

"This? It's more than just a book." Henry replies snapping his gaze up to meet the startled woman. I thump his shoulder for overreacting to her question.

"Yes it is." I tell her with a small smile. She looks at the pair of us for a moment before relaxing into a smile of her own.

"Tell me what brings a pair of young kids like you to Boston? Are your parents with you?" She asks looking around the other passengers to see if she can find them.

"Actually my siblings and I are meeting our father there. Our parents are divorced see, and they don't have the time to drive us back and forth so we take the bus. Its dad's turn this time." A voice behind us says. Henry and I turn around in our seats to see Rose leaning over our headrests to talk to the woman.

That's the other thing that happened today. Rose caught us at the bus stop. She had come home from a friend's house to see the simple note that Henry had left for his mother on the counter. Years of wrangling Henry and Ally had prepared her for what they might do.

So she had arrived at the station twenty minutes before the bus was to leave. After finding the kids, she had attempted to make them see sense and that they would be in huge trouble if they didn't come back home. Henry was adamant about leaving though, and I wasn't going to leave Henry.

He has always been by Ally's side even waiting for her in the hospital when she needed to have her tonsils out. So there was no way she was leaving him to go on this adventure to find his mother alone. They were best friends and they stuck together through thick and thin.

So after Rose couldn't persuade them to go back, she went and bought a ticket of her own, surprising the when she boarded and took the seat behind Henry. Her reasoning for coming was that someone had to look after them. She didn't even care that it was to find Henry's birth mother who wasn't her own. Rose didn't know hers either but she didn't really feel the need quite yet to find her.

Her mom was adequate enough for now. The old lady gave the three of them a sympathetic look before turning back to her knitting. All three released a collective breath. Rose smacked Henry on the top of his head.

"Ow!" He yelped rubbing his head.

"That's for almost blowing our cover." Rose hissed angrily. I glared at her for a second before she turned her own angry look on me.

"We didn't mean for her to talk to us. Besides she probably wouldn't have cared anyway." Ally points out. Rose just rolled her eyes at the two ten-year-olds logic. Why her mother had to go and adopt another child she would never know. Even though Henry was a pain most of the time she still wouldn't trade him in for anything and Ally wasn't bad to have as a pseudo little sister.

They three kids spent the next half hour back in silence as the city seemed to grow around them. The highway became bigger and what seemed like a million cars appeared amazing both Henry and Ally. Rose was impressed even though she didn't like to show it.

Suddenly the bus slowed to a crawl and the loudspeaker came on. "Boston, South Station. Thank you for riding Greyhound." The driver said.

The three kids quickly exited the bud so as to avoid the old lady incase she wanted to make sure that they had indeed gotten to their father. It was a miracle that they three even looked enough alike with their brown hair to pass as siblings.

"So where to now genius?" Rose asked still a little annoyed that she was dragged on a four-hour trip to Boston unexpectedly. Her annoyance fled fast when a cute boy walking by smiled at her though.

"We have it all under control Rosie." Henry tells her rolling his eyes while leading the them through the crowd of people to the taxies.

"Yeah chill Rose we thought this through ahead of time, everything has gone to plan except for you showing up suddenly." Ally tells the teen with a laugh. Rose glares at the younger girl again shortly.

The pair of them just don't seem to get how dangerous this whole stunt of theirs has been, and still is. Did they even stop to think about if this woman that they're meeting is dangerous. She gave away Henry for a reason after all.

The kids approached the taxies and Henry knocked on the window of the closest one. The driver rolled down the window and looked at the three uncertainly. Ally handed Henry the card that she had lifted earlier that day.

"Uh… you take credit cards?" Henry asks the man. Rose makes a choking sound from behind them. Yeah the two of them would have a lot of explaining to do later.

The taxi driver smiled brightly at the three of them. "Where to, chief?" He asks. Henry and Ally smile and open the back door crawling into the cab this time Henry squished against the window. Rose piled into the back with them not as happily. When Henry got home their mother was going to ground him until he was gray or forty which ever happened first.

She was also going to kill Rose for not stopping him, and once she killed her she'd resurrect her just to kill her again! There went any hope for the party Rose had wanted to go to next weekend. Henry rattled off the address of his mother's apartment and the driver swung quickly and expertly out into the traffic.

The cab was silent except for Henry's nervous tapping, Ally's bouncing knee, and Rose's death glares. Twenty minutes later the cab pulled to a stop outside of the apartment building and Henry quickly paid the driver as Ally and Rose stared at the building.

"How exactly did you two kids plan on getting in there? You need to be buzzed in." Rose says glaring at the calling device on the wall of the building.

"Push random buttons until we get let in?" Ally questions softly cocking her head in thought to the other two.

"Yeah and maybe we can pretend to be a pizza delivery guy! This is so cool!" He cries beginning to feed off of the nervous energy around him. Rose sighed not quite believing that she was about to do this, but it was for Henry. So one by one they pushed the buzzers until they were let in.

Henry was bummed though since no cover identity was needed. On the elevator up Rose turned to Henry. "Are you sure that you want to go through with this? She might not be what you were expecting Henry." She said trying to warn her little brother.

"She's his mom Rosie why wouldn't she want to see him?" Ally says still believing that all parents want their children. Ally was sure of it even if her own mom didn't seem to want her most of the time.

Rose swallowed hard not wanting to shatter the hopeful beliefs of the young kids. That's what they were after all just kids, and this could possibly go very badly for them. The elevator dinged and let the three off on the twelfth floor. We walked silently until we got to apartment 1240.

"This is it. You can do it Henry." Ally whispered to her friend. She reached out and grabbed his hand squeezing it tightly.

Henry swallowed hard before steeling his resolve and ringing the doorbell firmly. Again everyone held their breath for this time the woman who answered the door would be Henry's mother.

Before Henry could ring the bell again the door to the apartment swung open to see a tall woman with wavy blond hair and green eyes. She blinked a few times not expecting to see two kids and a teenager on her doorstep.

"Uh? Can I help you?" She asked eyeing them warily. She was not prepared for any scouts tonight. Wait? Why would scouts be out at this hour anyway?

"Are you Emma Swan?" Henry asks confidently. The woman balked visibly at the fact that Henry knew her name.

"Yeah? Who are you?" She asks narrowing her eyes at him.

"My name's Henry. I'm your son." He says simply. Before she has a chance to respond Henry pushes past her into the apartment. Ally slips along behind him happily glad that this is happening finally. Rose gives the astonished and floundering woman a sheepish smile and squeezes by her as well. Leaving the stupefied Emma standing in the doorway.

"Whoa! Hey, kid! Kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Who are you guys? Where are your parents?" Emma cries closing the door and following them inside where the three are busy inspecting her bare minimal place.

"As I said I'm Henry and I'm you're son. This is my older sister Rose, she's adopted as well. And that's Ally she's my best friend in the whole world." Henry explains catching the grin on Ally's face, and enjoying Emma's panic.

"I already told you kid, I don't have a son!" Emma exclaims frantically.

"Ten years ago. Did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me." Henry says calmly. The three kids watched as Emma paled a sickly white and staggered a bit.

"…Give me a minute." She mumbles and vanishes into the bathroom. Henry goes over to her fridge.

"Hey, you have any juice? Never mind, found some!" He yells through the door, pulling out the orange juice. Ally makes her way to the cabinets roaching up on her tiptoes to reach them and find the cups.

"Henry! Ally! You're being unbelievably rude!" Rose hisses, but goes over and helps Ally get three cups nonetheless.

"Pot, meet kettle." Ally quips earning a shove from Rose. Henry pours the juice for them before returning it to the fridge.

The three kids sip on their juice while murmuring softly to each other. They're all wondering what Emma Swan will do next.

Emma finally comes out of the bathroom to see the three kids with empty glasses in front of them.

"You know, we should probably get going." Henry says looking down at Ally's watch. Henry refuses to wear one, so he's always 'borrowing' Ally's arm all the time.

"Going where?" Emma asks eyeing the two kids and teen uneasily.

"I want you to come home with me." Henry tells her. Rose coughs not expecting that answer. She thought that Henry was just coming here to meet his mom, not take her home with him. Maybe she should have asked more questions earlier.

"Okay kids, I'm calling the cops." Emma says quickly turning the tables on them. Rose's eyes widen not liking the sound of this. Ally crosses her arms over her chest though.

"Then we'll tell them you kidnapped us." Ally says confidently. If there was one thing that the little often unsupervised little girl had learned it was how to lie to get out of places.

"And they'll believe you because I'm Henry's birth mother, and I'm not related to you two." Emma says slowly. Ally beamed a grin, and Rose shook her head. That little girl was much too smart for her own good, just like Henry was.

"Yep." Henry says popping the p. He is smiling victoriously at Emma along with Ally. Emma couldn't believe the gall of the two kids, they barely looked old enough to be crossing the street alone, let alone threatening strangers.

"You're not going to do that." She says finally. Henry and Ally eye her warily, while Rose watches the interaction carefully, ready to jump in front of her charges if necessary.

"Try us." Henry challenges. Emma stares the two kids down reading their faces. Ally has a good face but Henry's shows a lack of conviction.

"You're both pretty good. But here's the thing— there's not a lot I'm great at in life. I have one skill. Let's call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you kids, are." She tells us sternly. Ally's face falls, and Henry deflates. Rose looks on worriedly.

"Wait… please don't call the cops. Please come home with me." Henry begs her, with his pout. Rose smirks knowing that anyone could have a hard time resisting that pout. Ally adds onto the effect with her puppy dog look. She's so good at it, that Rose would swear that she wasn't half puppy herself.

Emma looks back and forth at the two of them before letting out a long sigh. "Where's home?" She asks finally.

"Storybrooke, Maine." Ally says quickly. Rose starts to come closer now that the confrontation seems to be pretty much over.

"Storybrooke? Seriously?" Emma says incredulously.

"I know incredibly lame right?" Rose says finally speaking to Emma for the first time.

"Mmhmm." Ally and Henry reply. Emma sighs again looking at the three kids before scratching her head.

"Alrighty, then. Let's get you three back to Storybrooke." She tells them grabbing her red leather jacket, still not quite sure why she's doing this in the first place. She shakes her head as the kids pile into the elevator with her. Emma finally decides that it must be because she just doesn't want to be alone on her birthday, even if it's with a group of kids she doesn't know.

* * *

When Ally saw the car that the four of them were going to drive back in, she wasn't so sure that they would all fit. Henry on the other hand was positively beaming since their plan was working out perfectly so far. Rose just really wanted to get home, for she wasn't sure how many more of their mother's calls she could duck.

Despite the small look of the yellow VW Bug all the kids plus Emma managed to fit in. Henry was almost bouncing in the front seat up next to Emma.

After a few minutes of driving through downtown Boston the silence is broken. "I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?" Henry asks after his stomach rumbles. That makes the two girls in the back seat perk up as well. All of the kids had had to skip dinner to come on this impromptu trip.

"Can we?" Ally piped up from behind Emma.

"This is not a road trip. We're not stopping for snacks." Emma says with finality. Ally sinks back into her seat, and Rose rolls her eyes.

"Why not?" Henry whines.

"Quit complaining, kid. Remember— I could have put you all on a bus. I still could." She warns him. None of the kids wanted to go all the way back on a bus. That would have entirely defeated the purpose of this trip in the first place.

"You know I have a name? They have names? It's Henry, Ally, and Rose." He says starting to get slightly annoyed. Rose all the while has been attempting to find the similarities between Emma Swan and her brother Henry. She's been able to find a few; the one glaring one is the sheer stubbornness of both of them.

Henry turns his attention back to the story book and Ally angles herself so that she can see it a little better, while Rose rolls her eyes. That book has caused more than enough trouble.

Emma glances over at Henry. "What's that?" She asks him. Henry and Ally study Emma intensely, and then share a look.

"We're not sure you're ready yet." Henry tells her.

"I'm not ready for some fairy tales?" Emma says dubiously. Rose tenses from her seat. She knows that both Henry and Ally are depending on these fairy tales being real since they're not happy with their real lives. If Emma reacts the wrong way, it could really hurt them.

"They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book has actually happened." Henry tells her. Ally nods her head along with him.

"Of course they did." Emma says obviously not believing him.

"Use your superpower, see if I'm lying." Henry challenges her.

"Just because you believe something, doesn't mean that it's true." Emma counters.

"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone." Henry says. Rose rolls her eyes from the back seat. If Henry was right then all three of the girls in the car are characters from the fairy tale book in his hands.

"Why's that?" Emma asks.

"Because you're in this book. So are Rose and Ally." Henry says.

"Oh kid. You've got problems." Emma sighs.

"Yep. And you're going to fix them." Henry says with a smile. After that the car is silent for most of the remaining trip. Ally took to staring back out the window even though it was dark outside now. She wasn't looking forward to getting back home. Gigi would be upset with her, but her mom probably wouldn't even be home.

Finally after what seems like forever for Ally they drives back the town sign. They're finally back in Storybrooke. Rose shifts in her seat and tries to work the kink out of her neck. She's already preparing her defenses against the massive fight that's going to come up with her mother.

"Okay kids, how about an address?" Emma says pulling onto main street.

"44 not telling you street." Henry chirps happily. The car comes to a sudden stop and Emma gets out of the car. Henry scampers out behind her, and not missing a chance to get out and stretch their legs Rose and Ally follow.

"Look, it's been a long night and its almost… 8:15?" Emma says looking at the clock tower. Ally smirks rocking on her feet. That was a rookie mistake.

"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here." Henry tells her with a satisfied smile.

"Excuse me?" Emma says looking at the kids incredulously.

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here." Ally pipes up making Emma turn on her.

"Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here?" She asks.

"Yeah, and now they're trapped." Henry says.

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" Emma says giving them an annoyed look now.

"It's true!" Henry cries.

"Then why doesn't anybody just leave?" Emma counters again.

"They can't. Bad things happen if they try." Ally says softly looking at the ground. She's thinking of all the times that her mom declared that she was going to leave the small town to go on an adventure. Gigi wouldn't let Ally go with her because Ally had school, but that never seemed to stop her mom for long.

"Henry! Rose! Ally!" A voice calls out from down the street. The three kids heads shoot up and over in the direction of the man walking towards them with a Dalmatian on a leash.

"Kids! What are you doing here? Is everything all right?" Archie asks the kids looking them over intently behind his glasses.

"We're fine Archie." Henry says and Ally mumbles something along the same line.

"It's been a long night Archie, and its not going to end anytime soon." Rose says with a sigh.

"Who's this?" Archie asks turning his attention to Emma.

"Just someone trying to give them a ride home." Emma says quickly before Henry can respond.

"She's my mom Archie." Henry tells him with a smile. The startled look on Archie's face grows.

"Oh. I see." He stutters out.

"You know where they live?" Emma asks Archie. He arches his eyebrows and gives the three kids a 'really' look.

"Rose and Henry live just, ah, right up Mifflin street. The Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block. Ally lives at Granny's Bed and Breakfast." Archie says and Ally and Henry frown at him.

Emma looks at Henry shocked. "You're the Mayor's kid?" She asks him unhappily.

"Uh, maybe?" Henry says hesitantly.

"Hey, where were you guys today Henry, Ally? You missed your session." Archie says turning to the two kids of the group.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you. We went on a field trip." Ally says with a smile on her face.

"Ally, Henry, what did I tell you two about lying? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything." Archie tells us sternly. Ally looks down at her feet, and Henry looks away uncomfortably.

"Oookay. Well, I should be getting them home." Emma says putting her hands on both of the ten-year-olds shoulders. Rose narrows her eyes at Archie. She knows that he's just doing this because her mom says to, but no one gets to mess with her little kids. Only she gets to do that, and that's cause she's there for them.

"Yeah, sure. Well, listen. Um. Have a good night, and, uh, you guys be good." Archie says uncomfortably again. Henry and Ally duck his looks. Archie turns and continues to walk Pongo down the street for his nightly walk.

"So that's your shrink." Emma says after a moment. Ally flinches and keeps her gaze on the ground, but Henry whips around to glare at Emma.

"I'm not crazy! And neither is Ally!" He declares. Emma kneels down to their level.

"Never said that. Just, he doesn't seem 'cursed' to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you." She says softly. Rose bites her lower lip watching the three of them. Henry still looks distant and defensive, and Ally refuses to meet Emma's gaze.

"He's the one that needs help because he doesn't know." Henry says finally turning back to Emma.

"That he's a fairy tale character?" Emma says.

"None of them do. They don't remember who they are." He tells her earnestly.

"Convenient. All right, I'll play. Who's he supposed to be?" Emma asks the pair. Rose looks at them intently. She's never found out who they think everyone is before.

"Jiminy Cricket." Ally says finally meeting Emma's gaze.

"Right, the lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit." Emma says. Henry scowls and Ally sighs defeated.

"I'm not Pinocchio!" Henry cries.

"Course you're not. Because that would be ridiculous." She says before piling all the kids back into the car again.

"I'm dropping you and your sister off first kid. I'll take you home after that Ally." Emma says waiting for nods from the kids.

"Told you she wouldn't believe us." Ally whispers from her seat behind him. Henry frowns and Emma looks at the two kids, before starting her car up again.

After a minute Emma pulls the car up to a stop in front of a large white house, that somewhat resembles a castle if you squint your eyes. It's easily the most expensive house in Storybrooke. Rose lets out a shaky breath and Henry looks absolutely unhappy to be there.

"Okay lets get you home. Kid, can you wait in the car while we do this?" Emma asks turning around to look at Ally. She nods her head, okay with not having a run in with Ms. Mills the Mayor of the town. Not much scares Ally but Ms. Mills definitely does.

"Bye Henry, good luck. See ya Rose." Ally tells them as they climb out of the car after Emma. Henry turns back quickly though and slips his book on his seat.

"Castle tomorrow morning." He whispers.

"Got it." Ally whispers back, settling into her seat again. She watches as Emma leads Henry and Rose up to the door, before she can ring the bell the door is opened up by none other than Ms. Mills herself.

She looks worried for a moment but when she sees her kids the annoyance comes through. Ally can't hear anything from here, but the look on the Mayor's face and the way that Henry runs inside says it all. Rose slips by her mother to follow him. After a minute Emma follows Ms. Mills inside as well.

Ally lets out a sigh and closes her eyes. Its not like she's never been left alone before. That's actually most of what Ally's life is. Gigi is always working at the diner really long hours, and mom works there and then goes out. When Ally isn't at the diner doing homework with Henry she's either out with him, or sitting around the inn. Not that she ever stays there long.

That's the thing about no one ever being around, Ally gets to do whatever she wants, as long as she knows when to check in and get home. So she mostly spends her time exploring the woods, and after three years of constant exploration she knows practically all of it.

Suddenly the car door opens, and Emma climbs in. That startles Ally out of her half asleep state. "Sorry kid, I didn't mean to leave you out here that long. Let's get you home." Emma says starting the engine, and pulling back onto the street. A few minutes we come to a stop in front of a sign that reads Granny's Bed and Breakfast.

Emma stops the car and we climb out. I lead Emma through the front garden to the house. "Are you leaving town?" Ally finally asks quietly. Emma sighs and scrubs her hands over her face.

"Look kid. I got you guys back here, and now its time for me to go home." She tells her looking down at her. Ally frowns and sighs.

"Henry will be really sad. He looked really hard for you." Ally says softly. Emma sighs and kneels down in front of the little girl. She reaches out and guides her chin up so that she can look at the girl.

"Ally you have to understand I gave Henry up because I knew that he would be better off without me. I did it so that he would have his best chance, and from the look of things he does. He has a mother and sister that love him, and a great best friend who would do anything for him." Emma tells her.

"He's not happy though, and you'd make him happy." Ally says and turns away to push open the door to the inn. Emma sighs and follows the little girl inside. It's small and quaint. A roaring fire is crackling in the sitting room in front of them, and the front desk is currently abandoned.

Ally shifts nervously knowing she'd have to call for Gigi. "Gigi!" Ally calls out. A noise comes from the kitchen off to the left of the entry room. Suddenly a small old woman hurries out with short, wavy, gray hair and glasses on a chain.

"Oh lord, Ally!" She cries. Ally runs over and wraps her small arms around her great-grandmother. Gigi hugs her tightly to her and rocks the little girl trying to sooth her frayed nerves. "Where have you been child? You practically gave me a heart attack when Sheriff Graham came by and asked me if I'd seen you." She says. Ally burrows her face into her Gigi's stomach.

"I'm sorry." She mumbles. Gigi finally looks up and sees Emma standing there awkwardly watching the reunion.

"I'm Emma Swan, I brought her Henry, and Rose back." Emma explains lightly. Granny gives her a thankful smile.

"Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you for returning my great-granddaughter to me. Where were they?" She asks. Emma smirks lightly at the small girl.

"The two little masterminds found me in Boston." She says waiting for the explosion. Gigi freezes in shock for a moment before pulling back and looking Ally in the face.

"Boston! What on earth where you thinking child? Do you know how dangerous that was? Do you not use those brains that god gave you?" She demands sharply, but her tone is softer for its laced with worry.

"We found Henry's mom Gigi. Emma is Henry's mom. I wasn't going to let him go by himself, and Rose came with us as well." Ally says stubbornly. Granny narrows her eyes at the girl, and she ducks her head in shame quickly. Gigi looks at Emma again and she can finally make some of the physical similarities to Henry.

"Thank you again for bringing them back. You must have had quite the shock. You're welcome to spend the night here if you'd like." Gigi tells Emma softly. She can tell by the skittish stance that the woman is taking that she's not going to stay.

"Oh, no. Thank you though. I really should get going." Emma says backing up. Ally turns around in her Gigi's arms and pouts at Emma. She doesn't say anything though since she already did before. "I hope you and Henry stay out of trouble Ally. It was really nice meeting you. Bye." And with that Emma is out the door. Ally sighs heavily.

"Oh child what are we going to do with you?" Gigi sighs looking down at the young girl. She looks up at her great-grandmother with a sad drawn face.

"Is mom home?" She asks her voice hesitantly hopeful. Gigi grits her teeth chocking back the anger at her granddaughter. Ruby is never around when her daughter needs her. She sighs. If only Anita were still alive then maybe Ruby would have had a proper role model growing up, and Ally wouldn't suffer so much.

"She's out tonight Ally. Come on now, lets get you in the shower, then I'll read you a story before bed, for you little girl are way past your bedtime." Gigi says leading Ally back into the family quarters part of the inn.

Later that night as Gigi tucked her in and grabbed Ally's favorite story book Little Red Riding Hood, Ally let her mind wander. She and Henry had worked so hard to find Emma and bring her back here and now she's just leaving. Maybe fairy tales aren't supposed to have happy endings after all.

* * *

The next morning for Ally Lucas dawned bright and early like it always did, but this morning was especially tough on the little girl for she'd gotten far less sleep than she usually does. Gigi shook her awake like every morning, and Ally sleepily got into her school uniform and bushed out her shoulder length brown hair. Her own sleepy chocolate brown eyes stared back at her in the mirror.

Five minutes later she left the inn and walked the two blocks down Main street that took her to Granny's Diner. Her Gigi owned the diner, and her mom worked there as a waitress. The inn and diner were the family business. Ally tiredly pushed open the door, seeing all the normal morning patrons there already.

Archie was reading the paper in a booth; Leroy was slumped against the counter most likely having a coffee and whiskey. Even though Ally was only ten she knew about alcohol, and she didn't like it. Her mom went out and drank a lot of it. Ally was mad at it since that's what was taking her mother away from her.

Dr. Whale was at the counter as well, and a few others were scattered around. A smile widened on Ally's face though when her mom appeared out of the kitchen with a plate of food. Once she'd set the food down, Ally ran over to her. "Mom!" She cries.

Ruby Lucas turned just in time to catch the bundle of ten-year-old that was her daughter. With a bright laugh and a small spin, Ruby kissed her daughter's hair. Even though she didn't spend much time with the little girl Ruby still loved the child with all her heart.

"Hey there pup! Oh my it seems like you've grown so much." Ruby says smiling into her daughter's hair. After a minute she sets her down on the ground, for she has to get back to work. Ruby hurries over to refill Archie's coffee and Ally slips onto one of the stools and waits for her mom to come back.

When she reappears behind the counter Ally smiles at her. "So what will it be this morning let me guess… blueberry pancakes, small side of scrambled eggs, and an orange juice. Am I right?" Ruby asks with an expectant look on her face. The matching smile on her daughter's face answers her unnecessary question for her.

"It's my favorite." Ally giggles.

"Of course it is pup, I know that!" Ruby smiles, and puts in the order for Gigi to make. "So it seems like the two of us need to have a talk Ally." Ruby says switching from Ally's nickname to her real name. Ally bites down on her lower lip nervously. She hates disappointing Gigi but it's infinitely worse when her mom is disappointed. That's mostly because Ruby's fine with almost all she does, and hardly ever gets upset.

"I'm sorry Mommy." Ally says quickly, attempting to stave off the look. Ruby chuckles softly knowing that her daughter is the master of the adorable apologetic look.

"Sorry pup, but that's not going to fly this time. You know that I'm cool about being late coming home, and skipping school, but you left Storybrooke by yourself and went to a major city alone. You're ten-years-old Ally you could have been killed or kidnapped, and I wouldn't have known." Ruby says fighting her own feelings of jealousy that her daughter had left this crummy town before her.

Ally felt truly awful about what she'd done, but she would have done it again. "I'm really sorry Mommy… I go back there again." She sniffled a few tears streaking down her cheeks. Ruby cringed seeing the tears on her daughter's face. This is why she hated to be the one to punish Ally; it killed her to see the girl cry. That's why she makes Granny, Ally's Gigi deal with her punishments. This time she wouldn't though.

"I know pup, I know. But, there's going to be some changes around here. You're to go to school and come straight back to the diner or the inn for the next two weeks. You'll do your homework, and help around. No more going out without us knowing where you're going okay?" Ruby asks lifting her daughter's trembling chin so that she can see her eyes.

Ally's deep brown eyes always reminded Ruby of Ally's father. It still hurt every time to think about him and how he was dead, though she couldn't remember for the life of her how he'd died, only that it was before Ally was born. "I-I understand." Ally hiccups. Ruby smiles and kisses her daughter's forehead.

"Good, now tell me all about Boston. It must have been amazing." Ruby says brightly. Ally smiles brilliantly back at her mother and the two chat about Boston intermittently as Ruby serves customers and Ally eats her breakfast before having to go to school.

Like every morning Henry comes running into the diner with Rose and his mother Ms. Mills trailing after him. Ally twirls around on her stool to grin at her best friend. "Morning Henry!" Ally beams. Henry grins at her and they perform their secret handshake. Rose rolls her eyes at the two kids but secretly she thinks its sweet how close they are.

"Morning Henry, Rose. Good morning Madam Mayor, can I interest you in a cup of coffee before work today?" Ruby asks her happiness at seeing the kids wearing off in the presence of Regina Mills.

"That won't be necessary all that I need is your and your grandmother's assurance that you'll reign in your daughter's wild behavior. I don't need her influencing Henry into acting out anymore than he already is." Regina snaps at Ruby. The polite smile melts off of Ruby's face as well as the happy one on Ally's. The little girl shrinks into her seat, feeling small and defeated.

Ruby turns a cool glare at Regina. "Well I'll keep that in mind Madam Mayor the next time Henry has the idea to go interstate traveling." She says handing Ally her lunchbox that has enough of Granny's food in there for both her and Henry. "All right have a good day pup." Ruby says hugging her daughter tightly trying to assure her that she's better than what Regina insinuates.

Ally releases her mother and follows the Mills family out of the dinner and down the block to where the bus stop is. Regina stops them a few feet away from the other children, and fixes them with a glare. "There better not be any more trouble from you two. And I think that your great-grandmother would expect the same from you Ally." She warns, and with that last threat she stalks away down to the Mayor's office in town hall.

All three kids release the breath of air that they'd been holding. "God I thought she'd never leave." Rose grumbles straightening her skirt and glaring off at her mother who was retreating in the distance. Henry turned to Ally.

"Did you see Emma this morning? Is she still here?" He asks her quickly. Ally sighs and shakes her head at him sadly.

"I'm sorry Henry, I tried to get her to stay." Ally tells him, giving her friend and hug, which he returns.

"That's okay, you tried you're best. Besides, I'm sure that she's still here." He says positively.

The bus pulls up to the stop and everyone piles on, Henry and Ally grabbing a seat together. "I don't know about you, but I'm not going to school today." Henry tells her in a whisper. Ally bites her lip worriedly and glances towards the back of the bus here Rose is chatting away with one of her friends.

Storybrooke is so small that the only school there is K-12. Rose usually forgets that they exist as soon as the three of them get to school, so that would probably work, though she doesn't want to disappoint her family anymore.

"Are you sure? We'll get into even more trouble than we already are." Ally says worriedly.

"Come on I promise we'll be fine. Its not like we're actually leaving town. Besides we're unhappy, and they don't want to push us too much farther." Henry reasons. Ally considers her options in her head, before nodding in agreement. She doesn't really feel like going to school without Henry today, she'd be alone otherwise. None of the other kids really like her since she's best friends with the Mayor's son, and no one likes the Mayor.

The bus pulls up in front of the school and everyone gets off and starts for the building. Well that is everyone except for Henry and Ally who are hiding watching until Rose enters the building, before scampering off in the opposite direction towards the beach.

* * *

Henry and Ally had been at the playground for a few hours by the time anyone had come near it. The castle slide play set had been their secret hideout for years. No one ever came to play there and it seemed like people forgot about its existence. So that made it perfect for Henry and Ally to play and hang out at all the time.

Just a few minutes ago the two friends had eaten the lunch that Gigi had packed for them, and now they were both giving up hope that anything would actually change around here. That is until a blond in a familiar red leather jacket came walking up to them in their castle, and in her hand is Henry's big fairy tale book.

"You left this in my car." She says holding up the book. I take the book for Henry since he's still staring at the block tower that still hasn't moved. "Still hasn't moved, huh?" She points out.

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin." Henry says sadly. I grab his and give it a squeeze.

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid." Emma says.

"Yes, you are. Because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings." Henry tells her firmly. Ally nods her head agreeing with Henry whole-heartedly because she believes in a happy ending for her family, that's not happy.

"Can you cut it with the book crap?" Emma asks sharply.

"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me – I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance." Henry tells her.

Emma narrows her eyes at first Ally then Henry. "How do you know that?" She demands.

"Because it's the same reason Snow White gave you away." Ally speaks up tapping the cover of the book. Emma gives the two kids a bewildered look.

"Listen to me, kid. I'm not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. Come on, let's go." Emma says grabbing the two kids by their hands and pulling them down off the play structure, and begins leading them back.

"Please don't take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That's all I ask. One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy." Henry begs running in front of her and holding out his hands. Ally stands beside him and adds in her puppy pout that gets her a lot of things.

"I have to get you back to your mom." Emma says crossing her arms over her chest.

"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!" Henry shouts.

"Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own so then they sent me back. Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you." Emma says breathing hard after her outburst.

Ally had to bite her lip to keep back the tears that wanted to fall. It was really sad to not feel wanted. As much as she loved her mom and was sure that her mom loved her, her mom was always busy and never spent time with her, choosing to go out.

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway. That's just where you came through." Henry tells her.

"What?" Emma asks.

"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse." Ally says remembering that part of the story well.

"Sure they were. Come on guys." She says placing her hands on their shoulders and leading them back towards her car.

* * *

A few hours after being brought back from the playground Ally is sitting on the stairs leading up to the guest rooms doing her homework. Math had never been her favorite thing to do even if she was good at it. She was also attempting to drown out the noise of her Gigi and Mom fighting again.

They do it practically every night and by now Ally wishes that she had an iPod like some of the other kids so that she could drown out the noise. Ally hates listening to family fight.

The noise is so loud that the three Lucas members don't notice the door opening. "You're out all night, and now you're going out again. What about Ally?" Gigi yells following after Mom as she gets ready to go out tonight.

"Ally's a big girl. I should have moved us to Boston." Mom says grabbing her purse and checking it. Ally's lower lip starts to wobble at the harsh words that are being said.

"I'm sorry that my heart attack and your ten-year-old child interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern sea board." Gigi fires back. That's enough to make Ally start to cry. She shoves her homework off her lap, and covers her face with her hands to stop the tears.

"Excuse me? I'd like a room." A voice rings out, and Ally's head pops up. Through teary eyes she makes out Emma Swan standing in the entryway staring at Gigi and Mom.

"Ms. Swan. You decided to stay after all?" Gigi asks hurrying behind the front desk.

"Yep." She says uncomfortably.

"Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll wave it." Gigi says quickly.

"Square is fine." Emma replies.

"What's your first name again for the registry?" Gigi questions.

"Emma Swan." Emma says.

"Emma, what a lovely name." A man's voice appears, and everyone turns to see Mr. Gold standing in the doorway. A shiver rolls down Ally's spine seeing him there. She scrambles up from her place and hurries over to her mom squeezing herself close to her mother's side.

Ruby absently pulled her daughter closer and a little bit away from Mr. Gold. Everyone knows not to cross him, or make deals with him.

"Thanks." Emma says slowly eyeing Mr. Gold up and down. Gigi grabs a roll of bills from the secret hiding spot. She hands the money to Mr. Gold.

"It's all here." Gigi tells him. Mr. Gold doesn't even bother to glance at the money as he pockets it.

"Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay…Emma." He says before turning and limping out the door of the inn. Everyone releases a breath of air.

"Who's that?" Emma asks looking at the Lucas family.

"Mr. Gold. He owns this place." Ruby says petting Ally's hair trying to get her shaking down.

"The inn?" Emma questions.

"No, the town. So, how long will you be staying with us?" Gigi asks, getting back to business.

"A week. Just a week." Emma says. Ally smiles tentatively at her.

"Great." Gigi grabs a key off of the wall and hands it to her. "Welcome to Storybrooke. Ally will show you to your room."

Ruby hugs her daughter goodbye and turns to leave. The smile slips off of Ally's face as she watches her mother leave. Ally goes to the staircase and grabs her homework. Emma follows the young girl up the stairs and down to room number six.

Once Emma has the door opens she looks around the room. Its quaint and homey just like the rest of the inn. She turns back around and sees Ally still standing there. "Is that why you want to believe in Henry's theory about the book?" Emma asks her suddenly. Ally looks up at her, and wipes at her still teary eyes.

"In Henry's book… Red Riding Hood loved her daughter, and never left her unless she had to. Wouldn't you want that too?" Ally asks her softly before disappearing from the doorway. Ally runs down the stairs and down the hall to her room.

Once she's curled up on her bed, she looks out the window trying to see if she can find her mom still. Not being able to find her Ally looks up and sees the clock tower. The crazy thing was that as she watched the minute hand on the clock tower moved. A huge smile grew on the young girl's face. She definitely truly believed in Henry's theory now. Ally would be reunited with her mom soon she knew it.


	2. The Thing You Love Most

Disclaimer: Do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will, only Ally.

* * *

02- The Thing You Love Most

Ally awoke the next morning to the usual shaking by Gigi and the sun streaming into her room through the shades. She quickly grabbed her uniform and made her way out of her room so that she could go to the diner to get breakfast. As Ally opened the door to leave she almost ran into Regina Mills who was holding a big basket of apples.

"Oh! Sorry Ms. Mills. I didn't see you there." Ally cries moving aside to let the Mayor into the inn. Regina turned around and took in the young girl who was her son's best friend.

"Its okay Allison. Just watch where you're going from now on." She tells her before turning around and climbing the guest stairs. She must be going to see Emma. Ally looked after her worriedly before shaking her head. There was nothing that she could do about it.

With a sigh Ally closes the door behind her, and starts skipping down the street and into the diner. The first thing she sees is Henry in the booth closest to the door. They grin at each other, and Ally holds up her finger to let him know that she'd be with him in a minute.

Ally had spotted her mom and that was the main thing on her mind. She sped over to her and hugged on her apron. Ruby smiled down at her daughter and led her over to the counter. "Good morning pup." She says happily kissing her head.

"Morning Mom." Ally says happily before leaning in closer to her. "Did ya see that the clock moved?"

Ruby glanced out the diner in the direction of the clock. "I did this morning when I was opening up. Pretty neat that that old thing found some new life." Ruby comments. "I'll bring you and Mr. Bond over there some breakfast."

With a grin Ally skips back over to Henry and slides into the booth beside him. "Did you see it?" Henry says excitedly. Ally nods her head.

"This is crazy Henry. Its actually happening!" She tells him. Henry grins, and messes with his silverware.

"So is Emma staying with you?" He asks.

"Yeah she checked in last night. I think you really got through to her, she agreed to stay for a week. Only problem is that I saw your mom come in this morning. Emma's the only one staying with us so…" Ally trailed off uneasily. Henry groaned at that.

"She's evil. She's going to drive Emma away before we even get a chance to fight." He sighs and slumps in his seat. Just then Ruby comes over with pancakes and milk for the two of them.

"Hey squirts what's got you so down? I thought you two would be excited seeing as Emma is staying now." She says setting down the food in front of them.

"Its not that Ruby. Just… what if she decides that she doesn't want to stay?" Henry asks her. Both of the children look up at her expectantly now. Ruby crosses her arms and thinks about what she would do if she were in Emma's situation with her own daughter.

"Henry if Emma doesn't stay then its her own issue it won't be because of you. You're a smart, charming, and funny little boy. Anyone could love you, and if she can't see that, then she doesn't deserve you. If all else you can know that I care for you Granny and Ally included, so you'll never be alone." Ruby tells him.

Seeing the acceptance on Henry's face, and the brilliant smile on Ally's is enough to tell her that she said the right thing. After she had left Henry and Ally got into their food, and not much was said for a while. Almost an hour later they were done and Emma had come into the diner.

She was sitting at the counter reading the paper. "I'm going to get her a hot chocolate. That way we can begin to talk about our plan." Henry explains. So when Ally's mom comes back around Henry orders Emma a hot chocolate with cinnamon on it.

Ally stuck her tongue out at that for she'd tried it before and it was terrible. She much more preferred peppermint in her hot chocolate. Both Ally and Henry watched as Ruby set down the cup in front of Emma much to her shock.

"Here you go." Ruby says. Emma cocks an eyebrow at her in response.

"Thank you. But I did not order that." Emma says refusing the drink.

"Yeah, I know. You have an admirer." Ruby says as way of explanation. Emma looked around trying to find who had sent it to her, and went over to Graham.

"Looks like you just got replaced with the Sheriff." Ally snickered to Henry. He glares at her and hits her in the arm, to which she pouts.

"Ah, so you decided to stay." Graham says looking at Emma with interest.

"Observant. Important for a cop." Emma replies with sarcasm. Ally snickers beginning to like Emma more besides the fact that she's Henry's mom.

"It's good news for our tourist business, it's bad for our local signage. It's… It's a joke. It's because you ran over our sign." Graham says chuckling. Henry and Ally exchange a look. Who runs over a sign?

"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don't, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you." Emma tells him firmly. Graham gives her a confused look.

"I didn't send it." He tells her. Henry grins and pops over the back of our booth.

"I did. I like cinnamon too." Henry calls. Emma has a dumbfounded look on her face for a few moments before coming over to the kids.

"Don't you two have school?" She asks us suspiciously. Ally rolls her eyes and huffs, while Henry nods.

"Duh, we're ten. Walk us." Henry tells her, and the kids slip out of the booth and exit the diner with Emma.

"That didn't stop you two from skipping yesterday though." Emma points out.

"We were up more than half the night!" Ally cries defensively.

"Well you two should have thought of that before you made a trip to Boston on a school night." She scolds.

"Allie gets cranky when she doesn't get enough sleep." Henry relays. Ally smacks him and he smacks her right back. "See?"

Emma pushes herself in between them to stop the squabbling. "So, Henry what's the deal between you and your mom?" Emma asks him.

"It's not about us, it's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one – identification. I call it Operation Cobra." Henry says with a wild grin.

"Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales." Emma says confused. Ally rolls her eyes and huffs.

"I suggested we call it Mission Impossible, but Henry says it sounds like we've already given up." Ally says adding a skip to her step.

"Its not supposed to sound like fairy tales. Its to throw the Queen off the trail." Henry goes on ignoring Ally's complaint.

"So, everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don't know it?" Emma says trying to process everything.

"That's the curse. Time's been frozen— well until you got here." Ally explains hopping over a puddle. Out of the two kids Ally had the most energy that needed to be burned off. Emma pulls out one of the apples that Regina had given her earlier and takes a bite. Henry's eyes widen at the sight of it.

"Hey! Where'd you get that?" He demands.

"Your mom." Emma says.

"Don't eat that!" Henry says grabbing the apple from her hand and throwing it behind them. Ally was chuckling by now at the astonished look on Emma's face. It's been there for a long time now.

"Okay, uh… what about their pasts?" She questions.

"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything. And you'll see. My mom and Gigi barely remember me being little." Ally tells Emma sadly. Emma can see that the curse thing is really important to both kids.

"So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious." Emma asks slowly getting the hang of what the curse is all about. "I have a question though didn't you say that Ally is a character in your book, why hasn't she not aged?"

Henry and Ally exchange worried looks. "We haven't figured out that yet. Ally was about a year old when the curse was cast and you were put in the wardrobe. Our best guess is that the Queen wanted for me to have a friend growing up." Henry explains. Emma looks over Ally trying to picture the young girl at some point actually having been older than her. It was only serving to give her a headache.

"It's complicated. I know. But you're the only one who can stop the curse." Ally says apologetically.

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?" Emma says again sounding skeptical.

"Yes. And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that. I took out the end. The part with you in it. See? Your mom is Snow White." Henry says showing her the ending of the book where you can see baby Emma being held in her mother's arms before they're separated. That part always made Ally want to cry.

"Kids…" Emma says. Henry and Ally stop in front of her for they've now arrived at the school. Henry cuts off Emma's excuses.

"I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad. I got to go. But I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!" Henry says. The two start walking towards the door and past their teacher Ms. Mary Margaret Blanchard.

She smiles at the pair and gives Ally a fond but stern look. The young girl only gives her a sheepish look in return. Mary Margaret is a close friend of her Mom so the two have known each other well for a long time.

"I never said I did!" Emma calls after them.

"Why else would you be here?" Henry shouts back at her. Emma sighs, and Ally pulls Henry along into the building so that they can get to their classroom.

"I think we're finally getting to her." He says with a triumphant smile.

"I still can't believe that we're going with Operation Cobra. Can't we pick a cooler name?" Ally whines as the two take their seats at their desks. Ally takes out her notebook and begins to doodle in the margins while Henry looks out the window watching the interaction between Mary Margaret and Emma.

"Emma's talking with her mom Ally! This is going faster then I thought it would!" He whispers to Ally. Ally looks up and over his shoulder to see Emma fidget shyly in front of their teacher who is smiling warmly at her.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Ally wonders. Henry shrugs his shoulders.

"I dunno what do you talk abou with your mom?" He asks her. Ally bites her lip and turns her attention back to her doodles.

"Nothing much… I don't get to spend all that much time with her since she's always working. And, you know that she goes out pretty much every night. Gigi is the only one there to talk to me in the nighttime." Ally mumbles not looking away from her drawing.

"Hey, I'm sorry that I brought it up. I know that I'm not the only one with a hard situation. Yeah my mom's the Evil Queen, but at least I still have Rose around to hang out with at home." Henry tells his friend giving her arm a squeeze. Ally smiles at Henry because he really is the best friend that she's ever had.

"Thanks Henry. I hope that your mom manages to break the curse soon because I'd really like to have my Mom and Gigi back." She tells him.

"She will, just you see. She's the savior after all." Henry says assuredly. The noise level in the classroom decreases when Ms. Blanchard comes in the room and closes the door behind her.

"Okay class, settle down! The day is about to start, and its going to be a special day today. I was thinking that since we're starting a new and exciting science unit, that we can have some class time outside later!" She announces. A cheer goes up from all the kids, grateful to not have to be stuck inside their classroom all day.

Ally is especially grateful because she's never really enjoyed being indoors for long amounts of time. The day drags on until it gets to the afternoon when Ms. Blanchard decides that the kids have been cooped up for too long and it was time to go outside. "Okay, grab your science books. We're heading outside!" She declares. Ally jumps to her feet and pumps her fists in the air while the other kids cheer and stand up.

Henry laughs at her enthusiasm. He's always been more content to hide away and read a book, while Ally would pace while the book was being read. Ms. Blanchard lead the class outside to a shady patch of grass and they all sat down in front of her and opened their books to the first page dealing with the water cycle.

While Ms. Blanchard read, Henry and Ally picked grass and subtly threw it at each other to keep from getting bored and caught. About twenty minutes later the clicking sound of heels approaching gathered Ally's attention. She looked up to see Henry's mom the Mayor approaching the class.

"— water, synthesize…" Mary Margaret reads when she's interrupted.

"Ahem. May I speak with my son and his friend?" Regina asks coolly staring down Ms. Blanchard. Henry and Ally were the only ones who actually knew why she disliked her so much, and that was because they are fairy tale rivals.

"We're in the middle of a lesson? Is it important?" Ms. Blanchard asks. Ms. Mills turns on the teacher with a cold glare in her eye.

"Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?" She demands. At that Henry and Ally scramble to their feet and walk a good ways from the class to a bench when she actually makes to talk with them.

"Ally, Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news. The woman who you brought here – she's been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper's office and stole his files, about you and Ally. She's a con woman. She's trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry." She tells them sadly, but there's a cold satisfied look in her eyes that counters her tone.

"No, you're not." Henry says, glaring at her. Ally didn't say or do anything because personally Henry's mother the Evil Queen and Mayor scares her to death. She might be brave, but she's not stupid.

"I know you think otherwise, but all I'm doing is trying to protect you. This is going to be good for us. You'll see. Things will be better." Regina says. The bell rings at the school in the distance. Ally starts backing away.

"We've got to get back to class." Ally says, grabbing Henry's hand and pulling him behind her back to their class. They grab their books, but before they can get too far Ms. Blanchard stops them.

"Is everything all right?" She asks worried about her struggling students. Both Henry and Ally look grim which isn't that usual for them.

"Something happened to Emma." Ally says sadly. Henry on the other hand is mad.

"And you know what Ms. Blanchard? I think you can help her." He says. She looks at the two kids confusedly before Henry explains his idea to them.

* * *

After the last bell of the day rings, Ally, and Henry wait impatiently by Mary Margaret's desk for her to pack her bag. Their mission is to get to the police station as quickly as possible. Ally reasons that she can't get in trouble with her Mom or her Gigi if she's with her teacher. She smirks, loving that there's loop holes in everything.

As soon as their teacher's bag is packed, the three of them are out of the classroom, and the building. "Thank you so much for doing this again Ms. Blanchard." Henry thanks her for what seems like the thousandth time.

"Its no problem Henry. I've talked with her, and it seems like she really cares about you." Mary Margaret assures him. Ally's walking heel to toe on the edge of the sidewalk beside them, and Ms. Blanchard grabs her by her arm and tugs her back onto the sidewalk.

"You're going to hurt yourself, and I'm going to be the one explaining to your mom how you managed to fall off a sidewalk." She chastises lightly. Ally rolls her eyes.

"Its not like she'd have a hard time believing it. I've gotten hurt doing far less before." Ally points out. Henry snickers form the other side of their teacher.

"Remember the chalk incident of last year? You almost got your eye poked out!" He snorts. Ms. Blanchard looks upset but Ally scowls at that memory.

"That's only because Johnny was throwing that chalk at you because you solved your problem at the board first, and made him look dumb." She mutters. Finally Mary Margaret just shakes her head, and prays for more patience with fifth graders. They finally arrive at the Sheriff's office and Henry and Ally run ahead of her into the station.

When they get inside they find Emma getting her mug shot taken by Graham. "Hey!" They cry gathering the attention of both of the adults in the room. Mary Margaret trails the kids in looking at Emma who looks more annoyed than guilty is anything.

"Henry, Ally! Henry, what are you doing here?" Emma asks shocked to see them at the station.

"His mother told them what happened." Mary Margaret explains coming up beside the kids. Emma groans and rolls her eyes.

"Of course she did. Henry, I don't know what she said…"

"You're a genius!" Ally breaks in before Emma can finish the sentence directed at her son. Emma looks at the young girl.

"What?"

"We know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Henry says excitedly bouncing a little.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost." Sheriff Graham says.

"It's need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out." Henry tells him. Emma turns to Mary Margaret shocked.

"You are? Why?" She asks. The teacher shifts uncomfortably for a moment under all the scrutiny.

"I, uh, trust you." She says lamely. Ally guessed that was enough for Emma because she's soon holding out her cuffed hands to Graham.

"Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do." She says flatly.

* * *

Later on that evening Ally is sitting behind the counter of the inn incase a guest happens to come by. This has mostly been her punishment for running off with Henry to Boston and skipping school the next day. It's pretty much boring and pointless since Emma's the only real costumer to use the inn in a long time.

Ally is fiddling around with a wooden carved wolf, when the door opens and Emma walks in. "Hey kid." She greets, and Ally smiles in response. The girl watches as Emma climbs the steps to her room and a few seconds later Gigi follows. Ally bites her lip because that couldn't be good.

A few minutes later Gigi comes back down the stairs clutching Emma's key. "Emma's checking out child. Could you please return the key? I have to get back to the diner." Gigi tells her handing Ally the key.

"She's leaving?" Ally asks softly. Gigi looks down at her great-granddaughter and sighs, at seeing the sad look on her face.

"There's nothing that I can do child." She says softly, and pats Ally on the cheek and leaves. Ally clutches the key tightly before returning it to its hook. Right after that, she climbs the stairs and stops in the open doorway of Emma's room. Ally watches as Emma stuffs some shirts into her bag rather viciously.

"Are you leaving?" Ally asks finally in a small voice. Emma spins around and stares at the girl in the doorway.

"The inn? Yes. Town? I'm not sure yet." Emma says truthfully. Ally nods her head slowly and continues to watch Emma pack.

"I'm sorry she's making you leave. Gigi wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for Henry's other mom. You know— I can always sneak you back in at night." Ally says trying to get Emma to stay in Storybrooke longer.

Emma sighs and goes over to Ally kneeling down so that she's level with her, and takes the girl's hands in hers. "Ally, you are one of the most courageous and thoughtful little girls that I've met. But, I don't want you getting into any more trouble with your mom and granny because of me.

Ally nods her head sadly and sighs. "I had to try didn't I?" Ally says. Emma smiles at the girl and stands back up to go and zip her bag. "I believe that you are a hero. Even if you don't believe you're one. If you weren't you wouldn't have stuck around this long for Henry."

With that Ally slips out of the doorway and back down to the front desk. She stares intently at the wolf carving again, and sighs.

* * *

Later that evening Henry and Ally sit on the couch together in their therapy session. Henry is depressed because he over heard Emma telling his mom that she thought he was crazy. Ally was upset because she had let Emma trick her into thinking she was a good person when in actuality she wasn't.

Archie Hopper watches as both of his charges sit sullenly not speaking. Henry was fiddling with Archie's umbrella, while Ally was scuffing her shoes on the floor.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? You know, that umbrella kind of is my good luck charm. Is that why you think I'm Jiminy Cricket?" Archie asks Henry attempting to get at least one of them to talk.

"I don't think you're anyone." Henry mumbles upset. Ally scoots a little closer to her friend.

"You're Dr. Hopper." She adds in simply. Before Archie can say anything else though, the door bursts open, and Emma comes charging into the room. Archie jumps up from his chair in fright.

"Miss Swan! Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me to…"

"I know. Don't worry about it. I get it. Henry, I'm sorry." Emma says turning to Henry. Ally scoots away from Henry, and gets up to go to a corner of the room. Even at ten, she knows when a conversation is meant for her or not.

"I don't want to talk to you." Henry says not even looking at Emma.

"Miss Swan, if she knew you were here…" Archie attempts again.

"To hell with her. Henry, there is one simple reason I stayed here. You. I wanted to get to know you." Emma tells him sincerely.

"You think I'm crazy." Henry cries.

"No, I think the curse is crazy. And it is. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't true. It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So what do I know. Maybe it is true." She admits.

"But you told my mom." Henry says confusedly.

"What she needed to hear. What I do know, is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers. Cause that way, she's not on to us. Isn't that what Operation Cobra was all about? Throwing her off the trail?" Emma asks him.

Henry grins at her widely. "Brilliant!"

"I've read the pages and, Henry, you are right. They are dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that see never sees them." She says pulling out the pages of the book, and walking over to the fire. Emma throws them into the fire and everyone watches as the flames slowly burn them out of existence. "Now we have the advantage." She states.

Henry gets up off the couch and goes over to her. "I knew you were here to help me." Henry states hugging Emma for the first time. She stiffens in shock for a moment before returning the hug.

"That's right, kid. I am. And nothing, not even a curse, is going to stop that." Emma promises him. Archie and Ally watch as the two of them leave the office. Archie shakes his head at the sight, and turns his head to look at his other patient. Ally is still standing in the corner of the room with a sad look on her face.

"Are you all right Ally?" Archie asks the girl. She startles and turns her gaze back to the therapist.

"I think that Henry already got his fairy tale ending Archie." Ally tells him softly.

"Why do you think that?" He questions.

"He got his real mom back now, and he's happy." She replies. Archie takes in the defeated stance of Ally.

"And you're not happy?" He asks already knowing the answer to this particular questions. Ally shrugs her coat back on, and starts for the door.

"No. Night Dr. Hopper. See you next week." She says and leaves the building. Outside she looks down the street and sees Emma and Henry walking, and Emma has her arm around Henry. A pang of sadness washes over her, as she turns the other way and makes it back to the inn.

The moment she steps inside the sound of fighting washes over her. Gigi is glaring at her Mom who is all dressed up to go out again. They don't notice when she slips into the room and around them to head to her room. She closed the door behind her even though it didn't do much good in tuning out the shouting.

Ally throws herself onto her bed and buries her head under her pillow. A minute later a door slams making her flinch. There goes her mother again, and she didn't even say good night this time.

That night Ally lies in bed and prays that Emma breaks the curse soon, for she's not sure how much more of this she could take.


	3. Snow Falls

Disclaimer: Still don't own Once Upon a Time. Never have, never will. Only Ally is mine.

* * *

03- Snow Falls

The next night Ally is hanging out in the diner while her mom and Gigi work. It's too quiet at home for her to stay there again. The loneliness is beginning to get to her. Ally fiddles with her cup of hot chocolate at the counter. Henry and Rose are having a forced family night with their mom so Ally can't hang out with him.

"What's with the long face pup?" Ruby asks her daughter coming around the counter to face Ally. Ally pulls in her lower lip and keeps her gaze down.

"Nothing…" She says. Ruby frowns for she hardly ever sees Ally upset like this before.

"Come on pup. I know you better than that. Something's on your mind, and I think it'd make you feel better to tell me." She coaxes trying to make her spill. Ally looks up at me mom with hopeful eyes.

"Well… Mom, could we maybe watch a movie together tonight? It's been a while since we've done so. I have my homework done and everything." Ally tells her earnestly. A remorseful look comes over Ruby's face.

"Ah pup, I'm sorry. I already made plans for tonight, and you know that it's not nice to break an engagement with someone after you've already agreed. How about this though, you can watch a movie yourself tonight, and maybe tomorrow we can sit down together." She says trying to make a deal with her kid.

Ally deflates in her seat. "Oh, okay." She sighs. Ruby bites her lip at the less than enthusiastic response.

"I'm sorry Ally." She apologizes before being summoned away by another customer. Ally tries to hold back her disappointment at being second best again. She knows that they won't watch a movie tomorrow as well. It took weeks of struggle to make the last night happen. She looks around the dinner and pauses when she sees her teacher Ms. Blanchard at a booth across from Dr. Whale.

Ally raised an eyebrow at the fancy dress and awkward conversation. They must be on a date, at least that's how Rose describes how you're supposed to act and look on one.

The girl scowls when she notices Dr. Whale not paying attention to her teacher but rather to her mom who is clearing a table. It seems like Mary Margaret has noticed as well for she doesn't look happy. "Ruby!" She cries. Ruby goes over to the table with a smile.

"Check please!" Mary Margaret requests. Ally watches with some satisfaction as Dr. Whale scrambles for a pathetic excuse and her mom brings the check back to the table.

But as soon as the bad date leaves the diner she has nothing else of real interest to do anymore. So, when her mom suggests leaving and getting to bed, Ally doesn't fight the decision.

* * *

The next day Ally is back where she's happiest, by Henry's side and on a field trip at school. Today Ms. Blanchard has taken the class to the hospital so that they can put up hand made decorations in the recovery wards, and cheer up the patients in general.

Of course Henry and Ally take this as the prime chance to see if they can identify anyone else who is a fairy tale character. "So, how was your time with Emma after therapy?" Ally asks him, curious and a little envious. Henry grins at his friend.

"It was cool. We talked a lot about Operation Cobra. Why weren't you with us? I could have used some help with the specifics." Henry tells her. Ally fidgets with the 'Get Well Soon' sign in her hand.

"I just wanted you to have some alone time with your mom. You haven't gotten to spend much time with her as it is." Ally points out. Henry gives Ally a serious look and grabs her hand, pulling her into a different room and closes the door.

"Ally, just because I've found my mom doesn't mean that I'm going to abandon her. You're all alone all of the time. I'm not going to let you go through that by yourself. Besides Emma told me that she liked you and that she was fine with it. She doesn't want you to be alone until you get your mom back either." Henry tells her with a reassuring smile.

Ally shuffles her feet nervously still. "Are you sure? You haven't seen her in a long time." She says. Henry laughs, and Ally smiles.

"I haven't seen her since I was born, and she's not going to leave me again, so there will be plenty of time." He laughs. Ally beams at her best friend and pulls him into a tight hug which he returns.

"So, have you recognized anyone? Where are we by the way?" Ally asks looking around the glass patient room. Henry turns around as well, and freezes when he notices the man lying asleep in the bed.

"Jackpot! Ally do you recognize him?" Henry asks quietly in a whisper. Ally scrunches her nose and joins Henry beside the man's bed. He has short sandy blond hair and a small scar on his chin. Ally eyes widen after a second and Henry bounces a little.

"Prince Charming." Ally breathes, recognizing him from the fairy tale book. Both kids couldn't believe that after all this looking that they'd finally found him. Before they can do anything else though Mary Margaret comes through the door.

"Henry, Ally. We could really use your help with the decorations." She says trying to get the pair out of the patient's room.

"Is Mr. Doe going to be okay Ms. Blanchard?" Ally asks her teacher suddenly fearful for Prince Charming's life.

"His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are." Mary Margaret attempts to explain to the ten-year-olds.

"Do you know who he is?" Henry asks her, attempting not to sound too excited.

"Nope. Just bring him flowers on my rounds." She tells them opening her arms to try to hurry them along.

"What's wrong with him?" Ally questions again, still worried.

"I don't know. He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering." She answers her.

"Does he have any family or friends?" Henry asks grilling her for more information. Mary Margaret shakes her head at the two kids. They are by far the most inquisitive of her whole class.

"No one's claimed him." She tells them. Ally looks at the man sadly while Henry frowns.

"So, he's all alone." Ally says softly understanding what that feels like. Henry grabs Ally's hand and squeezes it to remind her that she's not all alone.

"Yeah… it's quite sad." Mary Margaret agrees with her student and grabs both of them by the shoulders to leave John Doe alone. But Henry stops them from going too far.

"You sure you don't know him?" Henry asks again. Mary Margaret chuckles at his persistence.

"Course I'm sure. Come on. You two shouldn't be in here." She tells them finally leading them out of the room and away from Prince Charming, her one true love.

* * *

That afternoon after school Henry and Ally are on their abandoned castle on the beach sharing a large slice of pumpkin pie that Gigi had given them when they had stopped by the diner, and sipping milk from two large thermoses that Ally's mom had provided.

Ally was perfectly happy being back with her friend again and not alone, people watching at the diner. It didn't even really hurt all that bad when her mom told her that they'd have to postpone the movie night to another night— almost. The pair where chatting excitedly about finally finding Prince Charming, and how they should have known all along that he'd be in the hospital since he'd been near death when the curse was cast.

Both kids looked up when the crunching of boots on sand was heard, and they saw Emma. Henry smiled at her widely, while Ally gave her a shy smile in return.

"Hey kids." Emma greeted the pair as she hoisted herself up besides Henry.

"Hey Emma." Henry grins.

"Hi… are you sure you don't mind me hanging out with you?" Ally asks unsurely. Henry rolls his eyes at her while Emma gives her a soft smile and reaches out to squeeze the girl's shoulder.

"Course I don't. Truthfully it's a little weird working on Operation Cobra without all its members there." Emma says reassuringly. Both Ally and Henry smile at that statement.

"Speaking about Operation Cobra— we found your father Prince Charming." Henry declares with a wide grin, looking at Emma expectantly, but she just sighs heavily.

"Guys…" Emma starts.

"He's in the hospital, in a coma. See the scar? He has one, too." Henry tells her holding up a picture of Prince Charming in the book and pointing at it. Ally nods along in agreement.

"So? Lot's of people have scars." Emma argues.

"In the same place? Don't you see what this means? The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming." Ally counters, wanting her teacher and mother's friend to finally be happy.

"Okay, kid. Telling someone their soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse." Emma says leveling each of them with a hard stare.

"But what if we're right? We know who they are. Now they have to know." Henry argues. Emma lets out a sigh.

"And how do you two intend to make that happen?" Emma asks.

"By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is." Ally says coming up with the idea on the spot. Henry grins at his friend's fast thinking and high fives her.

"Okay." Emma says with a sigh giving in.

"Okay?" Henry asks unsure if he's hearing her right.

"Yeah, we'll do it. But we'll do it my way. Let me ask her." Emma says giving both kids a meaningful look. Henry nods his head, while Ally mimes zipping her lips shut and throwing away the key.

Emma shakes her head at them again, but soon changes the subject to how school was, and both kids start complaining.

* * *

The next day Emma, Henry, and Ally are sitting in a booth at Granny's diner. All three of them have hot chocolate, and Ally consistently makes faces at the fact that they like cinnamon in their hot chocolate. Henry fires back at her that peppermint is just as weird to like in that drink as well.

Emma broke it up when it got to having pretend sword fights with the candy canes that Ruby had brought over earlier. The three of them were waiting for Mary Margaret to show up and tell them how it went when she read him Snow White and Prince Charming's story to him from the book. She had agreed to do so after Emma had talked to her yesterday.

Emma slides back into the booth across from the kids after she has changed her shirt into the one that Henry had given her from his mom's closet.

"Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this from you mom's closet?" She asks suspiciously. Henry grins meekly at her.

"She'll never notice. Besides, Rose picked it out, apparently our mom has good fashion taste or something." Henry says scrunching his nose up at the end. Emma has to grin at the confused looks on the young kids faces.

"Where does she think you are, anyway?" Emma asks him changing the subject abruptly. Henry smirks at Ally and she grins back.

"Playing Whack-A-Mole at the arcade with Ally." He tells her. Emma raises an eyebrow at that.

"And she bought that?" She asks him incredulously. Henry shrugs his shoulders.

"She wants to believe it, so she does." He says simply.

"Oh, imagine that." Emma snorts. She still can't believe the gall of her kid. Just then Mary Margaret walks into the diner.

"She's here!" Ally says excitedly.

"Don't get your hopes up kids. We're just getting started." Emma warns them, not wanting to see the kids get hurt. Mary Margaret walks over to their table and slides onto the bench next to Emma releasing a long breath of air.

"He woke up." Mary Margaret says simply and quickly. Henry and Emma grin and high five each other, while Emma looks at her dare she say it friend, shocked.

"We knew it!" Henry cries.

"I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand." She tries to explain better. That was enough for the kids though.

"He's remembering!" Ally says happily.

"What did the doctor say?" Emma asks, still not ready to believe her.

"That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy. I know it happened." Mary Margaret says seriously, looking straight at Emma.

"We have to go back. You have to read to him again." Henry declares. He gets up from his seat and Ally slides out after him. Mar Margaret nods her head and gets up as well.

"Let's go." She says. Emma looks absolutely floored now as she scrambles to follow after the teacher and two kids.

"Wait, wait what?" She sputters.

"If I got through to him, if I made a connection…" Mary Margaret says trailing off. Emma grabs her arm and shakes her head.

"You don't believe…" She starts, but is cut off.

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not. Somehow, some way, I touched him." She tries to explain. Henry and Ally share exasperated looks as they follow the two adults out of the diner. They would believe— eventually.

* * *

A few minutes later Emma, Henry, Ally, and Mary Margaret arrive at the hospital, and take the elevator up to the recovery floor where John Doe's room is. Both of the kids were practically vibrating with excitement for their plan was going so well. Once they got near his room, though everything came screeching to a halt.

They see a bunch of doctors and nurses running around frantically and looking in John Doe's room. "You're right— he's waking up!" Henry says.

"Henry, Ally, you should stay back." Sheriff Graham says coming up to the kids, and gently guiding them back to Emma and Mary Margaret, who take hold of them.

"What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?" Mary Margaret asks, suddenly very worried about the man.

"He's missing." Graham says heavily, and Ally gasps sending Henry a frantic look. Henry on the other hand is more worried about the very pissed off looking Regina who is coming their way from John Doe's room.

"What the hell are you doing here? And you – I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?" Regina growls directing the last part of her statement at Henry and consequently Ally.

"What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?" Mary Margaret asks attempting to take the heat off of Henry.

"We don't know yet. His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle." Graham says rubbing his cheek absently obviously stressed by the entire situation.

"What did you do?" Henry asks his mother angrily, glaring at her. Regina turns her gaze back to him.

"You think that I had something to do with this?" She asks, somewhat hurt.

"It is curious that the Mayor's here." Emma says narrowing her eyes at Regina.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact." Regina says angrily, looking like she wants to strangle Emma.

"You know him?" Mary Margaret asks.

"I found him. On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here." Regina explains crossing her arms. Dr. Whale comes over o the group, and joins the conversation.

"Mayor Mills saved his life." Dr. Whale states. Ally backs away from the doctor and closer to Henry. Even though he took her tonsils out all those years ago, the blond doctor has always given her the creeps, she just doesn't understand why. Maybe it is just the way that he looks at her mother.

"We he be okay?" Mary Margaret questions him worriedly.

"Okay? The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream." He says seriously. Henry and Ally exchange panicked looks, and Emma gives both of their shoulders, and reassuring squeeze.

"Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking." Emma says firmly. Regina turns her gaze back to Emma, and the hate she feels is clear as day.

"That's what we're doing? Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm just going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious. Come along Ally, I'm taking you back with me as well." Regina says before grabbing both kids by their shoulders and leading them out of the hospital.

For the whole ride back to Henry's house, Ally tunes out the lecture that her best friend is receiving. Henry for his part doesn't seem to be paying all that much attention either, just nodding along and whining 'fine' in all the right places. Since today is a Saturday, like every weekend Ally sleeps over at Henry's house.

It's by far their favorite time of the week, and on Monday morning Rose walks both Henry and Ally to either school or the bus stop. The three finally pull up to the large white house on the end of Mifflin street, and they get out. Regina makes sure to march Henry and Ally up the walk and into the house.

"Rose!" Regina shouts up the stairs, loud enough to make both kids flinch. A few seconds later, and very huffy and annoyed looking fourteen-year-old appear at the top of the steps, with her black hair piled on the top of her head in a messy bun. Rock music can faintly be heard from her room.

"What?" Rose asks leaning against the banister and taking in the scene down below.

"Henry has been lying about his whereabouts again, and I need you to keep an eye on him and Ally until I can return. There is an emergency at the hospital and I'm needed." Regina explains, while Henry rolls his eyes. Rose glares at her mom annoyed that her plans have been ruined yet again.

"Ah come on! Why do I always have to watch them? I was going to go out with…" She starts complaining but Regina cuts her off with a glare.

"You young lady are going to watch your brother and his friend, for they are only ten. If you don't keep an eye on them, so help me I will ground you for the next month!" She snaps. Rose pales at the thought, and Regina smiles triumphantly. Henry and Ally feel somewhat sorry for Rose, since Regina always comes down hardest on her.

"Fine." Rose says. With a satisfied smile Regina turns to Henry and Ally.

"Now you two— let me make this perfectly clear. If I see any one of you near the hospital again today, I will not hesitate to ground you Henry, and tell your mom and Granny about what you've been up to Ally." She threatens before turning around and leaving the house.

As soon as the door's closed behind her, all three kids let out a sigh of relief. "You know, I don't know how we didn't see that she was the Evil Queen earlier. She's scary." Ally says breaking the silence. Henry laughs, and Rose rolls her eyes, climbing down the stairs to meet them.

"You haven't seen the half of it." She mutters crossing her arms. Rose looks over the kids, and sees how they're not making any moves to take out their jackets and shows. "God, you're going back out again." She groans.

"Yep. We have to help Emma and Mary Margaret find Prince Charming. He's lost in the woods." Henry says sharing his theory for the first time. Ally nods along agreeing with the guess.

"Seriously? Why can't you guys actually do what you're told to for once? Mom is seriously going to freak out if she finds out about this." Rose tells them. Henry shrugs his shoulders, and starts for the back door. Ally follows behind him. Rose watches them leave for a few minutes before groaning.

"Why do I have to care about what happens to them so much?" She moans, and grabs her own coat, racing after them.

After a few minutes of running they're in the woods behind the hospital, and they take a minute to find the path that they would most likely have taken. Ally is leading the small band, since she's been all over these woods, and has become fairly skilled at tracking.

A few minutes later the group of Mary Margaret, Sheriff Graham, and Emma are in sigh. The kids snap a twig, and make the three adults jump, in their hurry to get down the hill and to the group.

"Henry, Ally, Rose!" Mary Margaret cries, shocked to see her two students, and former student there.

"Did you find him yet?" Henry asks. Graham and Emma both shake their heads, as Rose doubles over to catch her breath, not used to having to run so much, unlike the younger kids.

"No, not yet. You three shouldn't be here? Rose you let them come here?" Emma says. Rose glares at Emma irritated.

"You have met them before right. They would have come whether or not I came with them." Rose points out.

"We can help. I know where he's going." Henry interrupts the fight that's brewing.

"And where's that?" Mary Margaret asks eyeing the kids warily. Henry and Ally smile at her.

"He's looking for you." Ally states. The group is pretty much struck dumb after that statement. The adults and teenager decide to ignore that statement, and continue on in the hunt for John Doe. Ally is in the front of the group beside Graham since he's caught her more times in the woods than he can remember, and she knows the way to the old toll bridge better than he does.

"You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!" Henry says, attempting to convince Mary Margaret that her Prince Charming is looking for her.

"Henry, it's not about me. I just… I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time." She says trying to play off his theory.

"But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him, and let him find you." Henry protests. Rose has finally had enough crazy fairy tale talk for the day.

"Enough Henry! We don't need to hear any more about your fairy tale wonderland." Rose snaps. Mary Margaret places a hand on the girl's arm to calm her down, and surprisingly she does. No one has been able to do that in a long time, and it shocks both Mary Margaret and Graham.

Henry and Ally on the other hand, share a look. They both know the truth about who Rose really is in the book, and who she is to Mary Margaret and Emma. "Kid. You guys need to go home. Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again." Emma says attempting to make them leave.

"She dropped us at the house, then went right out again." Henry says moving to catch up with Ally. Strength in numbers after all.

"Well, we need to get you back immediately." Emma calls after him.

"No!" Henry shouts back.

"Guys!" Graham yells over everyone to get their attention. Everyone turns to see what he's looking at. On the ground amongst the leaves is John Doe's hospital bracelet. Ally grabs Henry's hand and he holds onto her. Rose moves over to the little kids.

"Is that…" Mary Margaret says in a shaky voice.

"Blood." Emma says solemnly.

Finding John Doe's bloody hospital bracelet, speeds up the search for him faster. Ally has taken to following every short cut she has found to get to the toll bridge. Graham is right behind her wondering how on earth the girl had managed to find all of these paths without any experience.

Finally after a few very long minutes the group comes across the old rotted toll bridge along the babbling brook that Storybrooke is named after.

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Mary Margaret demands looking around urgently.

"The trail dies at the water line." Graham and Ally say together, each glancing at the other. Henry beams at his best friend's talent. He was going to have to go out exploring with her more often. Suddenly the group spots John Doe lying in the water.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Mary Margaret cries rushing into the water to John Doe's side with Emma shortly behind her. Rose grabs both Henry and Ally, holding them close to her.

"I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible." Graham radios before joining the other two in the water, to drag him to shore.

"Is he going to be all right?" Ally asks Rose worriedly looking up at her. Rose bite down on her lip hard, unsure what to tell the younger kids, when she herself is freaking out.

"No, no, no, no, no! No, no, no! I found you!" Mary Margaret cries, quickly losing it.

"It's going to be okay." Emma says trying to reassure everyone at the moment. Graham looks down at the man worriedly.

"Help's coming." He assures them.

"Is he okay?" Henry repeats Ally's question.

"Henry…" Emma says but he cuts her off.

"Is he going to be okay?" Henry demands.

"Henry, guys, don't look. Okay? Don't look." Emma tells the kids.

"Come back to us. Come back to me." Mary Margaret cries to the unconscious John Doe. Ally's lower lip starts to wobble, and she leans in closer to Rose, who wraps her arm around her tighter along with Henry. Mary Margaret begins CPR, and when she puts her mouth on his, he starts breathing again, and coughing up water.

Henry and Ally share a relieved and knowing look, while everyone else sighs in relief. John Doe looks up at her with a stunned look on his face. "You save me." He tells her softly.

"She did it. She did it! She woke him up." Henry and Ally cheer pulling away from Rose, and jumping up and down for joy. Prince Charming and Snow White where finally reunited. Emma comes over to the kids with an amused look on her face.

"Yeah, kids. She did." Emma says. John Doe looks at Mary Margaret gratefully.

"Thank you." He says.

"Who are you?" Mary Margaret asks him. John Doe gives her a blank look.

"I don't know." He says worriedly. Mary Margaret gives him a calming, and understanding look.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay." She tells him. The moment is ruined by the sounds of the ambulance sirens coming into the meadow and approaching the ragtag rescue team. Rose groans in remembrance.

"What's wrong?" Emma asks the teen worried about her. Rose turns her gaze on Emma and the younger kids.

"This means that we're going to see mom, and that she's going to kill us." She says unhappily. Henry and Ally grimace, and Emma doesn't look too happy about the situation either.

* * *

Everyone makes it back to the hospital where John Doe is going to get help. "Watch your back. Coming through!" The nurse shouts wheeling John Doe on the gurney back to his room. Dr. Whale walks up to meet them.

"We got it from here." He tells them, as they take him back into his room and close the door behind them. The group watches as Dr. Whale and the nurse begin to treat him. Suddenly a blond woman rushes past them, and burst in the room where he is, and goes right to his side.

"David! David!" She cries, tears streaming down her face. Everyone shares a confused look at what's going on.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Dr. Whale says, annoyed at not being able to get to his patient.

"Oh my god…" She says.

"Ma'am, you can't be in here. Please, you can't be here right now." He tries to get her out again, but she continues to ignore him.

"David…" She says yet again. Henry and Ally exchange uneasy looks. They know who she is in the book, but not who she is in Storybrooke for they've never seen her before.

"You can't be here, ma'am. Can you wait over here for a second, okay?" Dr. Whale tries again with her, getting seriously annoyed. Ally doesn't think that he was ever really supposed to be a doctor.

"Who is that?" Mary Margaret asks uneasily, finally asking the question that everyone has been wondering.

"His wife." Regina says, coming up behind the group not sounding very happy at all. Henry, Rose, and Ally flinch knowing that they're going to be in so much trouble. Even though Ally isn't Regina's child, she spends so much time with the Mills that she's practically family now.

"His name is David Nolan. And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood. We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you're grounded." She says the last part to Henry and Rose. Both of them cringe, and Ally shuffles nervously knowing that she's not escaping trouble either.

Kathryn exists David's room and comes over to the group. She's wiping the tears off her face. "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David." She tells them. Henry leans in close to Ally and whispers in her ear.

"That's not her David." He says. Ally nods along already knowing that.

"Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't… You didn't know that he was here in a coma?" Mary Margaret says trying to understand how such a giant mistake like that could possibly be made. Even the kids couldn't find this remotely possible.

"A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made." Kathryn says shakily.

"You didn't go look for him?" Emma asks dubiously crossing her arms over her chest. She knows when she's being fed a story, and this one smells of lies.

"I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance." Kathryn says looking gratefully at both Mary Margaret and Regina. Ally leans in close to Henry this time.

"I don't buy it for a minute." She whispers. He nods back.

"That's wonderful." Mary Margaret says even though she doesn't look like she means it very much. Dr. Whale comes out of David's room and approaches the group.

"Well, it's something of a miracle." He says shaking his head in wonderment.

"He's okay?" Kathryn asks him worriedly.

"Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all." He explains. Henry and Ally share another look. They really need to get alone and talk all this through.

"What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asks.

"That's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him." Dr. Whale shrugs. Some doctor he is.

"He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?" Emma says not liking the explanation at all.

"He woke up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess." He says.

"Someone." Henry and Ally both say. Regina glares at both of the kids.

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asks the doctor.

"Of course." He tells her showing her back to the room. Regina turn to the three kids, now shuffling uncomfortably.

"Rose, Henry, Ally, let's go." She snaps. Rose groans and follows after her mother while Henry and Ally glance at the saddened Mary Margaret.

"Wait our backpacks!" Ally cries rushing over to them by the woman. Henry grabs his and turns to her.

"Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for." He tells Mary Margaret.

"Henry…" She says not knowing what to say. Ally comes up beside him.

"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story." Ally adds, and the teacher shakes her head. She's really starting to regret giving the pair of them that book.

"Henry, Ally, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him." She tells them sadly. Henry and Ally start backpedaling for they can feel Regina's angry glare.

"No, it's because you belong together." Henry calls, and the two of them hurried over to Rose and Regina, and they got into the elevator.

It was a very uncomfortable ride down to the car, since Regina was too mad to speak, Rose too scared, and Henry too mad. Ally just hated that she was stuck in the middle of yet another Mills conflict, she was a Lucas, and Lucas' stayed away from the affairs of others. Or well, at least they should.

They manage to get out front of the hospital when Emma catches up with them. "Madam Mayor!" She calls out. Regina turns back to the kids.

"Wait by the car." She orders. The three walk to the car slowly watch the confrontation from afar.

"Boy, Emma sure knows how to get under mom's skin. I wouldn't put it past her to forget to punish us for a few hours now. She'll be steaming over that conversation tonight." Rose says shaking her head.

Henry looks at them worriedly. "I'm not too worried." He admits. Rose can't believe her brother and his eternal optimism. Nothing ever goes well, after their mom determines that they've been insubordinate.

"Well Gigi will be angry, and Mom won't mind. I'll have to lay low for a day or two, then they'll forget all about it. They're too busy." Ally tells them, watching the confrontation as well.

Rose scoffs at that. "I wish that our mom would be too busy and forget to punish us, but if anything that's the one thing she remembers." Rose sighs. Henry turns and looks at the girls.

"That's because she's evil." He says.


	4. The Price of Gold

Disclaimer: Do not own Once Upon a Time. It will never happen. Only have credit for Ally.

* * *

04-The Price of Gold

The weekend was finally over, and despite the unpleasant glares from Regina most of the time Ally and Henry still managed to have a good weekend. Now most people would find it odd that Ally wasn't sent home because of all the trouble that they were in, but Mayor Mills decided that All needed constant supervision in order to be punished properly, something that she was able to provide, not her family.

That weekend the main subject of discussion was whether or not the backstory that Henry's mom had made for Kathryn and David Nolan, was solid enough to keep Snow White and Prince Charming apart. Henry was firmly on the side that true love would win out, but Ally wasn't so sure it was as simple as that.

"Henry just because something's meant to be doesn't mean it's supposed to happen." Ally argues coming to a stop abruptly and looking at Emma. She had been waiting outside of the diner for the kids to show up.

"You're just not a romantic." Henry throws back. Emma steps in between them before it can get too heated.

"Whoa, and both of you are too young to be thinking of things like that." Emma says giving both the kids amused looks.

"You sure we can be out in the open?" Henry asks Emma looking up at her, as the three of them talk down the street.

"Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat." Emma tells him. Ally gives Emma an impressed look for Mayor Mills still intimidates her a lot, but then again, she is only ten.

"You're brave. We'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of – do you think we need code names?" Henry ponders. Ally smirks at Henry from around Emma.

"Isn't 'cobra' our code name?" Emma wonders.

"That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you." Henry explains.

"Henry can be Nightwing, since he reads all of those comics." Ally says giving Henry a pointed look. Emma gives them both looks.

"You read comics kid?" Emma asks him.

"Well I don't spend all of my time chasing down fairy tale characters. I do have a life you know." Henry defends. Ally snorts.

"Which is code for he really doesn't." She snickers. Henry reaches around Emma and smacks Ally, and Emma pulls them apart.

"Seriously you two? Why don't you just call me Emma for now?" She tells them, trying to get the pair to refocus.

"Well then I'll be Nighwing if Ally is Wolfpup. I think it has a rather poetic ring to it." He grins. Ally swipes at him, and Henry dances away with a smile.

"Okay. Well then, we'll see you later, Emma." Ally says following Henry onto the bus, and they both wave at her from out the window.

"Emma— god she needs to get an imagination." Henry sighs. Ally shoved him as she sits down.

"Wolfpup. You couldn't have been more obvious genius. I thought the names weren't supposed to be fairy tale related?" Ally demands.

"Well I thought that it fit rather well. We still haven't figured out whether you're going to you know…" He says mimicking a wolf face. Ally rolls her eyes at his pathetic attempt.

"I dunno, the book said that it didn't happen to my mom until she was thirteen. I'm only ten now." Ally says, dancing around the subject since others could overhear them. Henry nods his head but grins at her.

"I think it would be awesome if you do. I'll help train you so that you won't have to be locked up." He promises. Ally scowls at him.

"I'm a wolf not a dog Henry." She says.

"Either way, I'll still help you." He promises. Ally smiles at him gratefully, and the bus lets out at school. Henry and Ally sigh preparing themselves to yet another day at school, when they could be doing much more important things like curse breaking.

* * *

After school Ally is hanging back at the diner. Technically she's grounded from the stunts she's pulled with Henry in the last three days, but with her Mom and Gigi, she most likely will be able to go out later. She showed up today at the diner, so that's good enough for them.

Ally watches as her Mom serves customers, and conceals the sigh that she wants to let out. She knows that when she gets older, she's going to have to work at the diner as well. Gigi comes hurrying out of the kitchen with an order that her mom was supposed to pick up minutes ago. She was behind because one of the guys in one of the booths is flirting with her.

Ally scowls and picks up a sugar packet. She lines it up on the counter, and corrects her aim. He's grinning at her Mom like she's a sure thing. That only confirms Ally's decision that this is the right thing to do. She lets out a slow breath, and flicks the packet.

It goes sailing through the air, and smacks the guy clear in the back of the head. He startles and so does her Mom. Ruby and the guy spin around to see Ally sitting there glaring at the man. Ruby crosses her arms and stares her daughter down. This time instead of looking sheepish the girl just glares right back.

Ruby marches over to her daughter and drags her off the stool, and into the supply room off the kitchen. "Ally what the hell? You do not go throwing stuff at customers." Ruby snaps looking down at the girl. Ally crosses her arms and mimics her Mom's pose.

"I didn't throw it, I flicked it. There is a distinct difference there." She growls back. Ruby looks down at her kid incredulously. Ally has never talked back to her before. They've always had a good relationship, never getting into fights.

"Where is this coming from?" Ruby demands. Ally bites her lip, not believing her Mom.

"He was looking at you creepily. It was like what happened with Dr. Whale! You shouldn't be flirting with guys like that!" Ally cries shocking her mother.

"That's not for you to decide Ally! I'm the mother in this relationship— not you! I'm an adult, and I choose who I give my attention to." Ruby snaps. Ally feels tears start to fill her eyes.

"He doesn't care about you! I care about you, but you never give me any time!" Ally yells. Ruby is too caught up in her anger to realize what her daughter is really trying to convey to her.

"It's my life Ally, and I can do with it what I want. I think that you should leave the diner. You obviously need to go and cool down. You can come back when you feel like apologizing." She says opening the door and gesturing for her daughter to exit. Ally looks up at her Mom with a trembling lip.

"I-I just want you to choose me." Ally chokes on her tears. Ruby's expression softens slightly.

"You're my kid Ally, I did choose you. I just need to figure out the rest of my life as well. Then we can all be happy." She tells her. Tears slip down Ally's cheeks and she pushes past her Mom and to the back entrance. She runs into Gigi, who has a furious look on her face.

"Go on child, I have to have a conversation with your mother. She didn't mean what she said dear— she's just unhappy." Gigi tells her great-granddaughter.

"I'm not happy either." Ally cries slipping out of her grasp, and out the door. She makes her way through the back allies and to the Mayor's house. Ally doesn't know where else to go. Henry is the only person that she's ever thought of as safe. She runs over to the side of the house where his window is, and picks up a few small stones.

Seeing as her aim is working rather well today. She throws them up at one of his windows. It takes three stones and a minute before Henry pushes his window open. He leans his head out, and sees Ally standing on the ground. It takes a second for him to realize that something's up.

"Ally?" He asks worriedly. Ally scrubs the tears off her face violently. She looks back up at her best friend.

"I need Operation Cobra!" She yells up to him. It takes a second before Henry smiles, and nods his head. She goes around to the front of the house, when he closes his window.

By the time Henry comes bounding out the front door, Ally is leaning against one of the columns waiting for him. "Okay, my mom's out until five. So I say let's go get Emma, and we'll get working." Henry tells her realizing that his friend doesn't want to talk about it right now.

What he does do is grab her hand, so that she doesn't feel as lonely as she tends to feel. After a minute of walk Ally finally speaks.

"So… where is she staying?" Ally asks him. Henry turns his gaze to his friend, taking note of her red-rimmed eyes, and defeated posture.

"Mary Margaret's." Henry says simply. Ally nods her head slowly, trying to keep out the rest of Henry's unfinished sentence. With her mother, Emma is now finally reunited with her mother. Ally would kill to be with her true mother. A few minutes later they come to Mary Margaret's apartment, and they quickly climb up the stairs, and turn to her door.

The pair can hear voices from the other side. Before Ally can knock on the door, Henry pushes it open, and goes into the place. Ally quickly follows behind him, not wanting to be left out.

"Hey, Emma. I was thinking we…" Henry trails off. Emma is standing in front of the counter eyeing the creepy Mr. Gold. Ally unconsciously takes a step behind Henry. Not much scares her, but there is definitely something off about him.

Ally would almost swear that he's eviler than Regina the Evil Queen. "Hey Henry, Ally. How are you guys?" Mr. Gold asks the kids who had just intruded on their conversation.

"Okay?" Henry says cautiously. Ally nods her head mutely, not wanting to talk. Mr. Gold smiles at them despite their weak responses.

"Good. Give my regards to your mother. And, um, good luck, Miss Swan." He says, and with that he turns around and limps out the door, closing it behind him. Ally lets out a deep sigh after he's gone. A shiver runs down her spine and she flinches. Yeah, there's definitely something off.

"Do you know who that is?" Henry asks Emma curiously. Emma cocks her eyebrow at the two kids taking note of the saddened state of Ally.

"Yeah, course I do." She responds.

"Who? Cause I'm still trying to figure it out." Henry says. Emma sighs and runs her hands over her face.

"Oh. I meant in reality." Emma says flatly. Henry deflates. He looks over to the box that is currently sitting opened in the living room.

"Is that all you brought?" He asks slightly worried. Emma looks at him, trying to figure out what's going through his head.

"Henry, what are you and Ally doing here?" Emma demands finally. Ally startles a little at hearing her name. Henry turns back around to face Emma.

"My mom's gone til five. I thought we could hang out." He explains. Ally nods her head enthusiastically. They desperately need to get this curse broken.

"Ah, kids. I wish I could. But there's something I got to do." She says grabbing her coat, and heading out the door. Ally and Henry share a look before scampering out the door after her.

They catch up with her on the street. Henry grabs Ally's hand again when he senses her thoughts drifting too far away from reality. "Please let us help!" Henry begs, after Emma explains what Mr. Gold had wanted.

"No, no it could be dangerous!" Emma exclaims. Ally gives Emma a look for that.

"The pregnant maid is dangerous?" Ally asks not totally believing that. Emma groans. She doesn't have time for the two of them following her around and questioning everything.

"She assaulted Mr. Gold." Emma explains. Henry and Ally both grin at that.

"Cool!" They exclaim. Emma can't believe the two of them.

"This isn't a game. She's desperate." Emma tells them.

"How do you know?" Henry asks her.

"Because I know." She says.

"Well, then let's find her!" Ally cries, ready for another adventure. Emma stops forcing he two kids to stop as well lest they run into her.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. There is no let's. You guys cannot come with me." Emma declares. Henry and Ally both cross their arms at that.

"Then we'll look for her ourselves." Henry challenges her. Emma narrows her eyes at the pair.

"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back." Emma counters.

"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid." Ally argues back.

"I am just trying to be responsible here." Emma tries to reason with the kids.

"And I'm just trying to spend time with you." Henry smiles victoriously knowing that he just won the argument here. Henry and Ally climb into Emma's car, and she groans getting in after them.

"Oh, that is not fair." She complains.

"So, the maid. What's her story?" Henry asks. Ally shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"You're talking about Ashley aren't you?" She says softly. Emma and Henry turn around to look at her. Emma looks shocked.

"How'd you know that?" She demands.

"She's a friend of my Mom's. She's a good person. She's always been nice to me." Ally explains. Emma lets out a long breath of air. This job of hers just keeps getting more complicated. She starts the car and they drive to the diner. Ally starts squirming in her seat uncomfortably. Henry is watching her worriedly.

Emma turns around when she finally sees the problem. "What's up Ally?" She asks the girl softly. She finally ready to address the unhappiness of the little girl. Ally bites down onto her quivering lower lip.

"Um… I kinda had a fight with my Mom. S-she doesn't want to see me right now. I-I'll wait out in the car." Ally says softly. Emma shoots Henry a questioning look, and he shrugs his shoulders. Emma sighs, she's really not cut out to handle all these kid issues. She only just got her one back, and now its like she's gotten another one out of the whole deal.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that kid. I think that you should probably talk to her about it though. I'm sure that she feels just as bad about it as you do." Emma tells her. Ally shakes her head though, and clutches her seat belt tightly.

"Okay then I'll stay here with you as Emma goes talk to yours." Henry says crawling to sit in the back beside Ally. He grabs her hand, and Emma smiles at the two of them. Henry really is a great kid.

"Sure I'll be back kids." She tells them, closing the door, and going into the diner. She's going to have a talk to Ruby about, why she has her daughter near tears in the back of her car.

Meanwhile outside Henry tries to get Ally to talk to him. "I'm sure that everything will be okay Ally. You and your mom have never fought before. I'm sure you two will bounce back." He tells her squeezing her hand.

"I don't think so Henry. She was really upset… she practically told me that she didn't— didn't care about me." Ally admits in a whisper. Henry frowned hard, and pulled Ally in for a hug. Her tears were falling on his shirt, but he didn't care. The thing he didn't understand was Ruby.

She was the coolest mom around. Most kids thought that Ally was lucky. Sure she was a great and cool mom, but when it came to spending time with her kid— well there just never seemed to be time. Henry looked out the car window into the diner, and looked at Emma who was talking to Ruby. Ruby didn't seem like herself at all.

It didn't really help that Emma was glaring at her. When Henry saw her start to cry though, it made him hope that she did feel bad for what she had said to her daughter. A few minutes later, Ruby was drying her eyes with her apron, and Emma was coming back out of the diner, and to the car. It didn't escape both Henry and Emma's attention that Ruby came closer to the window to see her daughter.

Once Emma was in the car she turned to the back seat to look at the kids. Ally was sniffling by now. "Oh kid. Come on now, there's no need to cry. I for one know personally that your mom feels terrible for what she said. She was even crying." Emma tries to comfort her.

Ally pulls away from Henry with a trembling lip. "I-I don't want her to cry…" Ally whimpers. Henry glances back to the diner, and sees Ruby crying again as she watches Ally cry.

"Maybe you should go talk to your mom." Henry suggests softly. Ally bites her lip, and slowly shakes her head.

"N-no… we need to help Ashley first. I won't back out of helping her now." She tells them firmly. Emma looks unsure, but Henry nods his head.

"Okay Emma! You heard her. So what did you find out?" Henry asks leaning over the front seat to talk to her.

"Well— she had a boyfriend…"

"Sean." Ally interrupts.

"As I was saying he left her when he…"

"Found out she was pregnant, jerk." She says again. Emma shoots an amused look at the girl.

"Do you want to tell this? No— okay then. She has a stepmother and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to…"

"Wait. Stepmom. Stepsisters. And she's a maid? What I know her too somewhat…" Henry interrupts Emma now. She rolls her eyes at the two kids.

"Point Henry?" She asks. Ally's eyes widen and she grins at Henry.

"She's Cinderella!" Ally exclaims giddily pulling on Henry's arm in excitement. When Ally was younger she used to love the story of Cinderella. Emma sighs in fond exasperation and shakes her head.

"Okay seatbelts kids! Let's go pay 'Prince' Sean a visit." Emma says putting the car into gear as the kids scramble to buckle in. As they drive off Henry looks back one time, and sees Ruby looking after them with Granny at her side. She'll come around. He believes that, and believes that Ally will get her happy ending just as Emma will when the curse is broken.

* * *

The car pulls up to a stop in front of the Herman house. "You two," Emma looks pointedly at them, "will stay in the car."

Henry and Ally pout, but don't try to push their luck, since coming along is already a huge victory in the first place. They watch as Emma gets out and goes to ring the doorbell. Ally cringes when she sees Sean's father pull up in the driveway. She's only met the man a few times, but she really doesn't like him. Henry and Ally watch as the grownups have a confrontation.

"So, do you think that Ashley's with him?" Henry asks her. Ally scrunches her nose up, and shakes her head.

"No. She wouldn't go back to him. She's already upset enough that he broke up with her. She just feels alone. I don't know why Emma wanted to come here." Ally replies. Henry doesn't like the sound of that. A few minutes later, after the door is slammed in Emma's face she comes back to the car.

"Well that was a bust. I did find out one thing though. Sean's father arranged for Mr. Gold to buy Ashley's baby." She tells the kids. Both Henry and Ally's eyes were as wide as saucers at that announcement.

"Seriously?" Henry asks. Emma nods her head gravely. Ally glares back at the house. Taking the kids' silence as cue to leave, Emma starts back into town, and parks in front of the diner again. Ally looks at it hesitantly, but gets out of the car with the other two.

When they enter, Ruby looks up from wiping down the counter. She freezes for two different reasons when she sees them, but her eyes are mainly on her daughter. Ally finally raises her gaze to meet her mother's and she sees that her eyes are rimmed with red as well.

Before anyone can say anything though, Ally breaks into a run and dashes to her mom. Ruby barely catches her as she plows into her sobbing. Emma puts her arm around Henry as they watch the mother and daughter hold each other. "You did good." Henry whispers to Emma.

She looks down at him shocked, but his attention is already back on Ally. Ally clutches onto her mom tightly. "I-I didn't want you to cry…" She sniffles into Ruby's neck. Ruby chokes back a sob, and squeezes Ally a little tighter.

"Oh Ally that's not for you to worry about. I'm so, so, sorry for what I said to you. You were right, I just didn't want to hear it. Will you please forgive me?" Ruby asks pulling away from Ally, and tipping up her chin so that she can see her face. Ally gives her a wobbly smile, and nods.

"All you had to do was ask." She says softly. Ruby grins at her daughter, and picks her up into another hug, and places her on the counter. She takes her time wiping off the remaining tears with the pads of her thumbs. Seeing that the reunion was through, Emma and Henry approached the pair, and slid onto the stools in front of them.

"I'm glad you two worked things through." Emma says. Ally beams at them, and over her head, Ruby mouths a thank you. Emma nods to show her that she got it. She sighs knowing that she's going to have to end the happy moment.

"So, why didn't you tell me that she sold the baby Ruby?" Emma asks her. Ally looks up at her mom shocked. Why would she lie to Emma? Ruby shifts uncomfortably, and runs her hand through Ally's hair.

"Because I didn't think it was important." Ruby says. She continues to run her fingers through the girl's hair trying to calm herself before the accusations get worse.

"Really? Considering that's why she's running away." Emma counters, not impressed. Ally and Henry cast nervous glances at the adults who look like they're ready to face off soon.

"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her." Ruby says stopping her hand. Emma glances down and sees the glass wolf charm that Ally's been absently fiddling with. It should be in Ruby's car but its not.

"Ruby, where's your car? You didn't send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start." Emma accuses her. Ruby helps Ally slide off the counter, not wanting her to be around for this argument.

"Look, I'm only trying to help her." Ruby tells Emma. Emma glares back.

"Yes, so am I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me." Emma tells her. Ally looks up at her Mom with pleading eyes.

"I can't talk in front of him. He's the Mayor's kid. Ally can't be here either." Ruby states. Both Henry and Ally send her offended looks.

"Hey! I'm on your side." Henry cries outraged.

"Mom!" Ally whines.

"Henry, Ally, I need to find this woman. And in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. She's not going to tell me anything if you're around." Emma says to the kids pleaded with them to actually listen to her for once.

"Okay." The kids sigh. Henry starts for the door, while Ally gives her mom an uncertain look. Ruby smiles at her softly and kneels down to kiss her forehead.

"See you later pup." She says. Ally leaves hoping that later actually happens tonight.

Once outside Henry and Ally walk around the corner, but Henry stops Ally before she can get far. "We're not leaving. Emma didn't lock her car, she what she can't keep out, can come right in." Henry says mischievously. Ally gives Henry an unsure look, but follows him anyway.

The two kids crawl into the back of Emma's car and wait for her to come back out. "At least you and your mom made up." Henry whispers. Ally smiles softly, happy with the results of the day, even if she had to have a major fight with her mother.

A few minutes later Emma comes out to the car and gets in. She starts the engine, and she plus the two stowaways start out again. A minute later though Henry pops up from the back seat, Ally with him.

"What'd she tell you?" Henry asks, causing Emma to swerve the bug slightly in shock.

"Henry! Ally! What the hell? I'm going to Boston. You can't come with me." Emma says, slowing down the car slightly.

"You can't go to Boston! She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does." Henry urges her.

"Then why could your sister and Ally, since they came with you?" Emma challenges.

"They are both in a modified curse. Everyone else but the two of them and me don't age. All that's wrong with them is they can't remember." Henry explains.

"I was one, I highly doubt I can remember that." Ally mumbles.

"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home." Emma says finally, going to make a U-turn.

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt! We're wasting time! If you drop me off, we'll never catch up to her." Ally cries. Emma sighs loudly.

"Guys…" She sighs again.

"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail." Henry adds, playing off of Emma's morals. With a groan Emma keeps going straight, out of the small town and into the woods to leave it.

"…Buckle up. Ashley, what did you get yourself into?" Emma mutters from the front. Henry and Ally share worried looks. Everyone is looking out the window when suddenly Ally is pointing.

"Our car! She crashed our car!" Ally cries. Henry bounces beside her.

"Its her car! I told you!" He trumpets. Emma pulls over, and all three of them race out of the car, to go and inspect the other one that's in a ditch. Ally groans to herself, since that car was hers and her mother's favorite possession. Oh well, at least she managed to save the wolf charm.

"Ashley?" Emma shouts looking in the windows. A moan is heard from a few feet away, and the kids run over to the sound to see, a heavily pregnant young blond woman in the grass. She moans in pain. Ally drops to her knees beside her, grabbing her hand.

"Ashley!" Ally cries. The young woman looks up at the sound of the girl's voice. She sees the three people around her.

"Ally! My baby! It's coming!" Ashley yells out in pain. Ally winces from the force of the hand gripping hers.

"Okay come on quickly." Emma says. She and the two kids manage to help Ashley to her feet and into the passenger seat. Henry and Ally look on worriedly in the back, as Emma turns the car around back to Storybrooke.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asks slightly scared now. Ally's eyes are widened in shock. She's never doing that— ever! That looks horribly painful.

"Ohh yeah. Don't worry – the hospital isn't that far." Emma says. That gains Ashley's attention again.

"No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." She cries out.

"Oh no, we don't have four hours. Trust me – I know." Emma tells her, sounding like she remembers her own time.

"I can't go back there. Please. He's going to take my baby." Ashley begs her. Emma tightens her grip on the steering wheel.

"I won't let that happen. Do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready? It doesn't just end the minutes they're out of diapers." Emma says gesturing to Henry and Ally in the back, who are both still wide eyed.

"Yeah." Ashley answers.

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Emma says. That shocks Ashley.

"You weren't?" She asks.

"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's going to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to change and once you decide that it's yours, this 'running away' can't happen. You have to grow up and you can't ever leave. Understand?" Emma tells her. Ashley gives Emma a determined look.

"Yes, I want my baby." She says. Henry and Ally grin from the backseat, and Emma gives a solemn nod. Okay time to bring on the baby.

* * *

An hour later brings Emma, Henry, and Ally sitting in the hospital's waiting room. Henry and Ally are playing Go Fish with a pack of cards that one of the nurses had slipped them. Emma was keeping one eye on them, and the other eye on the door for the doctor or Mr. Gold.

"You know, Emma. You're different." Henry states out of the blue, shocking her. She turns her full attention to the two kids at her feet.

"What's that?" She asks.

"You're the only one who could do it." Ally says catching onto Henry's trail of thought quickly.

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that." Emma says impatiently.

"No. Leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke." Ally says.

"You guys left, came and found me in Boston." Emma argues. She honestly doesn't know why she bothers fighting them anymore.

"But we came back. We're ten – we had no choice. But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen." Henry explains. Emma shakes her head. This thing again, she sighs.

"Anyone except me?" She says to make sure she really understands. Ally rolls her eyes at Emma's stubbornness.

"You're the savior. You can do whatever you want. You can go." Ally tells her not exactly wanting her to know this incase she wants to leave. Before anyone else can say anything a doctor approaches them.

"Miss Swan. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine." He informs them. Henry and Ally sigh relieved, and then smile at each other happily. Another little life has just joined Storybrooke.

"What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise." Mr. Gold says, coming up behind the small group. The smiles slip off their faces, as they turn to face the evil pawnbroker.

"Guys, give me a moment with Mr. Gold, then we'll go in and see Ashley." Emma tells them, leading Mr. Gold down the hall, and to the vending machines. Henry and Ally share a worried look.

"No one ever breaks a deal with Mr. Gold." Ally says worriedly. Henry bites his lip, and shakes his head.

"Emma's here. She's changing everything. Ashley will get to keep her baby." Henry says sure that everything will turn out okay in the end.

A few minutes later much to their shock, they two kids watch as Mr. Gold limps away out of the hospital. Emma walks up to the kids with a grim look on her face. "Come on kids. We've got a baby to see." Emma announces. Ally and Henry grin at her, and they follow Emma to the room where an exhausted Ashley lies, with her small baby girl tucked away in her arms.

"Hey. What's her name?" Emma asks, alerting Ashley to their presence.

"Alexandra." Ashley replies with a joyful sniffle. Ally and Henry beam at her remembering in the book that Alexandra is that name that Prince Thomas— Sean wanted to name the baby.

"It's pretty." Emma says softly, as all four of them watch tiny Alexandra.

"Thank you for getting me here." Ashley thanks her sincerely. Emma and the kids smile at her.

"Mr. Gold was outside. I took care of it – she's yours." Emma assures her. Ashley lets out a sob of relief, and cradles Alexandra closer to her.

"She is? What did you do?" She cries.

"Made a deal with him." Emma says simply. Ally and Henry share a worried look, as Ashley thanks her profusely.

"Oh, hey, kid. It's almost five. We got to get you home." Emma says glancing at the clock. Ally and Henry race out of the room, and Emma says goodbye and runs out after them.

* * *

A few minutes later, the three of them are in the car, and making their way back to Henry's house. They're silent, until Emma breaks it.

"Pumpkin. My code name. I was thinking in honor of Cinderella. Pumpkin." Emma says nodding her head. Henry shakes his head at that, and Ally makes a face.

"You got a better one in mind Nightwing? Wolfpup?" Emma questions, and teases slightly.

"Yep." Henry says unperturbed.

"Well?" Emma asks.

"We're not sure if you're ready yet." Ally tells her, and Henry nods in agreement. Emma scoffs, and shakes her head fondly. Those two are really beginning to grow on her. Emma pulls up in front of Henry's house and the kids do their handshake before he gets out.

But before he can get too far away, Emma calls out the window. "Henry! About what you said at the hospital. About me being able to leave?" She says. Emma has both kids attention now.

"Yeah?" She asks.

"See you tomorrow." Emma says. Henry grins, and runs the rest of the way to the house. Emma sighs, and pulls away from the curb, and heads back to Main street. "Okay Ally time to get you home as well. She announces.

Ally nods her head, and soon they pull up in front of the inn. Ally climbs out of the car, but pauses before she closes the door. "I know you talked to my Mom. Thank you… for what you said." She tells Emma softly. Emma smiles at the kid, not realizing that she's beginning to grow attached to the young girl as well as her son.

"You're welcome Ally, and she does really care. Sometimes grownups just have a hard time showing it. She'll get there kid." Emma tells her. Ally smiles at her and closes the door, waving as Emma pulls away. With a sigh, Ally turns and heads into the inn.

After a long evening Ally is getting ready for bed. As she pulls back her covers to crawl into bed, there's a knock on her door. She cocks her head quizzically for Gigi never knocks on her door at bedtime, just comes in. "Come in." She calls out. The door opens, and Ally's lucky that's she's already sitting down on her bed, or she would have fallen.

Standing there is her Mom. "Mom!" Ally cries shocked. Ruby smiles softly at her daughter and comes into the room.

"Hey pup. I was thinking that I could read to you tonight, before you go to sleep." Ruby says. She holds her breath for a second unsure how her daughter is going to react. If it were her, she'd still be upset. Ally though, is definitely not her mother.

"Awesome!" Ally cries, scurrying under the covers, and scooting over close to the wall, so that there's room for Ruby to lie down as well. Ruby grins at her kid, and sits down beside her, and stretches out on the bed beside the girl. Ally curls into her Mom's side and rests her head on her chest.

"I was thinking that we could read one of the stories you liked when you were little." Ruby says softly, stroking some of Ally's hair off her face. The girl nods wordlessly, and just snuggles up to her tighter. "Okay well this one you should practically know by heart now." Ruby says softly.

Ally glances at the book's cover, and grins softly seeing Cinderella in her large, puffy, blue ball gown. If only her Mom knew. Ruby started reading, and Ally let her mom's voice float over her. Halfway through the story Ruby glanced down to see if Ally was following along, and smiled at the sight of her slumbering daughter.

She softly closed the book, and placed it on her bedside table, before rubbing her hand on Ally's back. This caused the girl shift closer. After a few minutes, she extracted herself from the child, and tucked Ally under her covers fully, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

When Ruby turns around she sees Granny standing in the doorway. She slowly makes her way over to her, and exits the young girl's room, closing the door behind her. Both women look at each other for a charged moment, before Granny pats Ruby's shoulder and walks away.

Before she gets very far, she speaks. "You doing good child, but that child still needs more." And with that admission the residents of Granny's Bed and Breakfast retire for the night.


	5. That Still Small Voice

Disclaimer: Do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will. Can only claim Ally.

* * *

05-That Still Small Voice

Wednesday night finds Henry and Ally back in Archie's office for another therapy session. This time both kids are in better moods, since things seem to be finally going their way.

"You weren't always a cricket." Henry says, determined to convince Archie of the curse and bring up over to Operation Cobra.

"I weren't always- Oh, right. Because, um… Because you think I'm Jiminy Cricket. Why… Why do you… Why do you think that, Henry?" Archie struggles, not really wanting to go through this again with the kids.

"It's just because of who you are." Ally pipes in leaning closer to Archie and giving him a long look. Archie shifts uncomfortably.

"And what am I?" He questions.

"You're a conscience. You help people see right from wrong." Henry says. Ally makes a face at that statement.

"I think that he may be broken." She mumbles thinking of all the bad things he's done lately.

"So, all the crickets in Storybrooke – they were once people, too?" Archie tries, but gets shot down by the looks on their faces.

"There aren't any crickets here. Listen." Ally says, and the three of them sit there quietly only listening to the crackling of the fire that Archie had made earlier.

"Maybe it isn't light enough." Archie reasons with them.

"There's never been crickets here. You've just never noticed." Henry says.

"So, you think that's proof that there's a curse?" Archie says.

"Yes, but I know it's not enough. We're looking for more." Henry assures him.

"So, Henry, Ally, look. I asked you guys this once before and you said you'd think about it. Why do you think it's so important that this is real?" Archie questions them.

"It… It just is." Henry says.

"Just cause." Ally mutters. Archie sighs and shakes his head. He's never going to get anywhere with these kids at this rate.

"Alright. Well, keep thinking about that answer, guys. Cause I think there's something buried there." Archie tells them, officially ending the session.

* * *

The next day Henry and Ally are hanging out. Ally, per Henry's request is showing him around the woods more, so that he can get to better know them. By the time that Henry comes huffing and puffing next to Ally, she's leaning against a tree. "I— don't get— it. How— how are you so fast?" Henry pants, hands on his knees.

"Years of running around out here Henry. You should really get out of your room and stretch your legs every once in a while." Ally retorts, with a grin. Henry glares up at her.

"No, I swear that there's something different about you." He says squinting his eyes at Ally. She shrugs it off, and glances around the clearing.

"We should probably head back. There's no need for your mom to catch us and ban you from going into the woods." Ally tells him, sticking out a hand to pull Henry up. The two friends start walking back towards town, when the earth starts to shake violently. The ground beneath their feet moves, and Henry is pitch to the ground, with Ally not far behind him. Henry groans as Ally falls on top of him. A few seconds later, the shaking stops, and Ally rolls off of him.

"What the hell was that?" Ally demands. Henry grumbles something under his breath, and shakes his head.

"I don't know, but I want to find out." He says climbing to his feet, and helping Ally up. "Okay Wolfpup find where that thing happened!" Henry exclaims looking at her like she was a dog. Ally glared at him, and gave Henry a pretty good shove.

"If I do change you better watch out Henry, I'm not sure yet whether I'll just be all bark and no bite." Ally threatens, before taking off at a sprint in the other direction. She can hear Henry's muttered protests and curses behind her, as he gives chase.

A few minutes later the kids slow down as they hear voices up ahead as they get closer to the road. "Where are we?" Henry asks Ally quietly as he comes to a stop, panting again. Ally cocks her head trying to hear what everyone is saying.

"We're by an entrance to the old mines. I've been near them before, but I've never actually taken the chance to go in." Ally tells him. Henry gets an excited gleam in his eye and pushes out of the forest and to the gathered crowd. Ally groaned, and followed after him.

The kids get close enough to the front of the crowd to see both Henry's moms arguing and Sheriff Graham standing there awkwardly not sure whether to break them up or not. "Emma's here." Henry points out unnecessarily. Suddenly Mayor Mills takes a step forward and addresses the crowd.

"People of Storybrooke, don't be alarmed. We've always known this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels. But fear not. I'm going to undertake a project to make this area safe – to rehabilitate it into city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it." She announces. Henry has heard enough, and pushes forward to the front of the crowd with Ally following.

"Pave it? What if there's something down there?" He demands. All of the adult's presence is on the kids suddenly. Ally sees her own mother out of the corner of her eye.

"Henry. Ally. What are you two doing here?" Regina demands staring down the two children. Ally shifts uncomfortably under the glare.

"We were knocked down by the shaking." Ally states obviously. Ruby has to cover her mouth to conceal her smile at her child's sass to the Mayor.

"What's down there?" Henry asks ignoring everything else but his goal.

"Nothing. Now step back. In fact, everyone! Please, please step back. Thank you." She says and people reluctantly start moving back. Henry and Ally watch as Regina kneels down and picks up a piece of glass, and pockets it.

"What's that?" Ally asks, her curiosity getting the best of her. Regina glares at the girl making her flinch. She turns her glare to Ruby.

"If you knew what was best for you Ms. Lucas, I would reign in that daughter of yours. Henry, enough. Listen this is a safety issue. Go and wait in the car." Regina snapped pointing over at her vehicle. Ally glanced nervously back and forth between the Mayor and her Mom. Henry stormed away to the car.

Ruby held out her hand to Ally, and she scrambled over to her Mom. "My apologies Madam Mayor." Ruby growls out and tugs Ally away so that they can leave. Ally cranes her neck around to find Henry and the kids share a look. They'll talk again at their next session tomorrow.

Ally allows her mom to pull her to their own car, and she climbs into the front seat beside her. Ruby starts the car, and heaves a sigh. "She really irritates the hell out of me. Just because she's the Mayor she thinks that she has the power to tell me how to parent my kid." Ruby grumbles, pulling onto the road, and heading back to the diner.

Ally doesn't say anything. She just lets her Mom rant, as she fiddles with the wolf ornament on the dash. "Pup, I know that you and Henry are on this whole kick against Regina and everything, which I totally support by the way, but I want to cool it for a little bit." Ruby says glancing over at Ally.

The girl turns to her Mom shocked. "But Mom— if I don't help Henry, then no one will!" Ally cries already not liking this new proposition. Ruby sighs, and pulls into the small parking lot behind the diner.

"Ally, I'm being serious here. Regina is not the kind of person to go messing with. She could really hurt you— hurt us. I can't have anything happen to you as well. Not after P…" Ruby abruptly stops realizing that she was going to have said his name aloud. Ally bit her lip seeing the heartbroken look on her Mom's face.

She knew that her Mom still wasn't over her father. She knew that he was dead— that he was killed. And from the book she knew how it had happened. For this part of the curse she was happy, because at least her Mom didn't have to carry that pain with her now.

"Okay Mommy." Ally tells her softly. Ruby swiped at her eyes and gripped the girl's hand tightly.

"Thank you." She says.

* * *

The next day Henry and Ally meet out in front of the Archie's office for their session. Some people thought that it was odd that the pair shared one, but after a week of separate ones, Archie decided that it would be best if he worked with them together.

"So did you hear that Emma's now Deputy?" Henry asks Ally with a wide grin on his face. Ally smiles back at him, and gestures to his backpack.

"You going somewhere that I don't know about?" Ally questions him. Henry glances down at his bag and grins.

"Operation Cobra has its first mission. Don't tell me you didn't see the Queen pocket something at the cave in. We have to go down into the mines and find out just exactly she doesn't want us to find." Henry says. Ally's eyes widen at the new information.

"I dunno Henry. My Mom really doesn't want me to do anything big that will make your mom mad." She says hesitantly, but the thrill of an adventure was beginning to get to her. Henry grabs her hand and looks her straight in the eye.

"If you want your real mom back Ally, we need to do this." Henry says. After a moment Ally nods in agreement, and follows Henry into Archie's office. The kids pause in the doorway when they see Archie busy talking to Marco the old wood carver.

"Hey! Have a good session, Henry, Ally." Marco tells the kids brightly ruffling their hair, and leaving the room. Henry and Archie take their seats on the couches, while Ally attempts to fix her hair briefly. As soon as she joins them, the session begins.

"Hey." Archie tells the kids. Ally just gives him an unreadable look, and Henry grins at him.

"Are you recruiting Geppetto for Operation Cobra?" Henry asks excitedly. Archie raises an eyebrow at that and Ally sighs, getting tired of having to convince everyone that the book is actually real.

"You think Marco's Geppetto?" Archie says doubtfully. Ally groans into her hands.

"Sure. He's Jiminy Cricket's best friend and Marco's yours." Ally explains. Archie scratches his head trying to regain control of the situation.

"Henry… Ally, look. W-We really need to talk about this, okay?" Archie pleads. Henry is already on a roll though.

"I know you're not convinced, but I know where I can get proof." Henry says determinedly. He grabs his backpack and unzips it. He shows the contents to Archie and Ally.

"What is this? Flashlight? Candy bars? Oh, wait, Henry. Henry, you do not want to go down there." Archie says trying to change the kids' minds about this idea.

"Emma's here and stuff's happening. I have to look at it." Henry says stubbornly. Archie turns to Ally pleadingly. She crosses her arms.

"I'm not letting my best friend go without me. He needs someone to help him." Ally says. Henry grins at her for that. Archie finally can't take it anymore.

"Ally, Henry. Stop. Stop. There is no proof. Look, all of this – all of this – is a delusion. Do you know what a delusion is?" He demands. Both kids shrink back into the couch a little bit. Ally shakes her head silently while Henry responds.

"I…I think so." Henry stammers. Archie leans in closer to the kids and locks gazes with them.

"It's something that's not real. And… And not healthy. And I thought that you'd outgrow this, but guys, you know… Now it's turned into a psychosis. Do you know what a psychosis is? Th-that's when you can longer tell what's real and if that continues, then… Then I have to lock you away. Henry, Ally, look. This has to stop for your own good. You got to wake up. This nonsense must end. How much longer will your parents want you when you don't want them?" Archie states.

Ally clenches her hands into fists on her knees and tries to keep from crying. Henry gives Archie a wounded and betrayed look, verging on tears. He grabs Ally's hand and pulls her out of the office. By the time they're both on the street, Henry's lip is wobbling, and Ally's crying openly.

Henry grit his teeth angrily. He couldn't believe that Archie would say something like that. He betrayed him, and worse he made Ally cry after she was already feeling bad about the whole situation. There was only one thing to do. Henry grabbed Ally's and they sped walked to Mary Margaret's apartment.

They needed to see Emma. The pair climb the stairs to the apartment, and Henry knocks on the door since Ally is in no state to do so, a few seconds later the door swings open to reveal Emma, Mary Margaret comes over from the kitchen to see who is at the door.

"Henry— Ally what's wrong?" Emma asks worriedly, seeing the upset look on Henry's face and the tear stained face of Ally. She didn't know which child to attempt to comfort first. Luckily Mary Margaret took that situation out of her hands.

"Ally, honey." She says softly kneeling down to her level and opening her arms. Emma wasn't sure that the kid would trust her teacher so much, but was surprised when Ally ran into her arms without a second though. Emma took Henry by the shoulders and led him over to the couch, as Mary Margaret wrapped her arms around the now sobbing child.

"Henry, what's wrong? What happened?" Emma asks trying to keep a lightness to her voice so she doesn't upset the kid even more.

"A-Archie said that— that we have a— psy— psychosis. He said that they're gonna lock us up." Henry cries unable to fight the tear that streaks down his face. Emma looks up as Mary Margaret carries Ally to the couch next to them. The girl's sobs have slowed, and now she's hiccupping.

"There was something else, wasn't there?" Mary Margaret says softly pushing the hair that got stuck to Ally's faces by her tears, away from it. Henry clamps his mouth shut, and Ally's lower lip wobbles again.

"Come on kids, we need to know everything, or we can't make it better." Emma attempts to coax the answer out of them.

"He… he said Mom— Mommy wouldn't…" Ally couldn't go on because the tears started again. She buried her face into Mary Margaret's neck; clinging to her like she had done many times when she was a small child, well smaller than now. Emma and Mary Margaret share a look, bot knowing that they're not going to like what the rest of that sentence is. They both turn to Henry as the teacher coos at the girl to calm her down again.

"Henry, come on bud. We can tell that it was serious. You need to tell us. If not for us, then for Ally." Emma tells him placing her hand on his knee. Henry shoots his gaze to Ally, and he bites his lip. As much as he's upset with Archie at the moment, he also doesn't want to hurt him. But as he listens to his best friend cry, Henry realizes that he has to tell them.

"Archie said that if we keep not wanting our parents as they are, then they're not going to want us anymore." Henry admits brokenly. As much as he hates Regina she has been his mother for a long time. Both the adults wince realizing how damaging that is to hear, and for Ally even more so, since they both know that on some level, she believes that Ruby doesn't want her.

"Oh honey. Don't believe what he said for a minute. No matter what you could do or say, would stop your mom from wanting you. It was the happiest day of her life when she had you, and I should know because I was there." Mary Margaret tells the girl, trying not to show that she has a hard time remembering the girl's birth for some reason.

Ally pulls back from Mary Margaret, and the woman strokes her cheeks, wiping the tears off of them. "Y-you're sure?" She croaks, her sore from crying so much. Mary Margaret smiles sweetly at the girl.

"I know it with all my heart. Now come on, let's go and get you guys some juice." She says sliding Ally off of her lap, and grabbing her and Henry's had leading them to the kitchen. Emma follows after them, silently seething. She doesn't know what she's going to do to the doctor first when she sees him. She watches the deflated kids with Mary Margaret as they drink their juice quietly, Ally leaning into Henry, and him leaning back.

"Those poor kids." Mary Margaret says quietly to Emma. She nods her head and continues to watch them.

"At least they have each other. They've been holding on well for this long." Emma says. Once the kids are finished, she allows them to wash up, before she takes them back home. Or well to the Mayor's office since Henry has to meet with her, and Ally doesn't seem to want to leave his side just quite yet.

Emma leaves and is pretty distracted for she's already planning her confrontation out with Archie. As soon as she's gone Henry turns to face his best friend.

"We're doing it. We'll show them that we're not crazy." Henry says resolutely. Ally bites her lip still not liking the sound of this plan, especially after what happened earlier.

"I dunno Henry, I kinda just want to go and see my Mom." Ally says blushing slightly. Kids her age are supposed to want to get away from their parents not go to them. Henry grabs her hand and starts leading her to the woods.

"Come on Ally your mom's working. You can see her when we get back. Besides, I'll never make it back there, only you know the way." Henry points out. Reluctantly Ally nods her head. With a deep breath she takes the lead and pulls him into the woods after her.

* * *

At the entrance to the tunnel Henry digs around into his backpack pulling out two flashlights, not noticing that a candy bar falls to the ground. "Take this." Henry says handing Ally a yellow flashlight as he takes the green one for himself. He shrugs his backpack back onto his shoulders, and they turn on their lights.

With a deep breath the kids start into the mine, shining their flashlights around, trying to find something, anything that could help them out. After a few minutes searching Ally's flashlight catches something. She bends down and picks up another shard of intricate glass that has a wood chip attached to it.

"Henry, I think I found something." Ally says. Henry comes hurrying over to her, adding his light to hers. A beaming smile slips onto his face at the sight of the glass.

"That's just like what my mom picked up!" He cries. Just then the earth starts to shake and with a loud crack, the mine starts to crumble around them.

"Run!" Ally cries grabbing Henry by the hand and dragging him away. That is before something hits her, and all she can see is blackness.

* * *

"She pushed me out of the way… I couldn't help her! I didn't mean for this to happen!" Henry's voice cries from a distance. There was the sound of hurried feet, and someone sliding next to her.

"Oh dear, this is not good." Archie's voice sounds from beside her. Ugh, the last thing that Ally needed was for him to be here. That was her last thought before the pain hit her, and a moan left her.

"Ally!" Henry cries, as the girl blearily opens her eyes. There appear to be three Henry's for a moment, before they all snap back into one. Suddenly Archie is leaning over her.

"Go away… I'm mad at you." Ally mumbles trying to remember exactly why she was upset with the doctor. "Better yet, why are you here?" She asks.

Archie lets out a sigh of relief that she was conscious, and looked down to assess her injuries. There was a pretty bad bump on her forehead that was bleeding, and he didn't even want to look down at her right arm. The blood there was enough to tell him that it was bad.

Henry was white as a ghost on Ally's other side, and he scraped and bruised as well. Archie swallows hard knowing that as bad as Ally was at the moment, Henry probably would have ended up worse, if she hadn't pushed him. Damn the girl and her need for heroics.

"Ally I'm here because Emma, and I were looking for you and Henry. Now we're in a little bit of trouble here since we're trapped and there's no way out." Archie says, trying to put everything lightly for the injured girl. Ally blinks a few times before turning to Henry.

"You so owe me for this Mills." She says. Henry cracks a small smile at her.

"Anything you want, I promise." Henry says grabbing her good hand and squeeze it. Archie gets to work on trying to stop the bleeding. He rips off part of his jacket, and carefully lifts up Ally's injured one to screams from her. Henry grips her hand tightly, trying to take the pain away for her.

Archie wraps the cloth around the break as tight as her dares, before setting the arm across Ally's stomach so she could cradle it. "Okay kids, we can't stay here any longer. Its dangerous here, and we have to try and find a way out." Archie tells them, reaching under Ally, and lifting her up into his arms despite the painful cry from her.

Henry looked totally freaked out by the state of his best friend. "Come on Henry we have to move. You're in charge of the lights." Archie tells him, and with that the three of them start moving, leaving the unstable section of mine they were just in.

After a few minutes of following random stone corridors they hear barking. "Ally, Henry, do you hear that?" Archie asks, not sure if his ears are tricking him or not.

"It's Pongo!" Henry cries. Ally cheers weakly from Archie's arms. She's been slipping back and forth from being awake to being tired. The pain is enough to keep her awake though, every time she's jostled.

"Follow the noise!" Archie cries, desperately wanting to save these children. It was the very least that he could do, after everything he'd done to them. A few minutes later, they come across what looks like an old elevator shaft.

"It's loudest over here." Archie says carrying Ally over with him, even though his arms are beginning to ache and grow tired. He's more worried about the girl in them though.

"What's… What's this?" Henry asks curiously looking at the shaft as well, and up.

"Looks like…an old elevator." Ally gasps painfully as she is shifted once again. Both of the guys looked at Ally. She chuckled and flinched in pain. "What, a girl's not allowed to know stuff?"

"It's to get the mine workers in and out. It goes all the way to the top. That's why we could hear Pongo." Archie says stepping into the old elevator. Henry follows behind him.

"Can we make it work?" Henry asks glancing worriedly at his best friend who seriously doesn't look good now.

"Let's give it a shot." Archie says kneeling down, and as softly as possible setting Ally down. She cries out in pain once again, but says nothing. Archie grabs the wheel that turns the elevator and turns. It moves slightly.

"Let me help." Henry says, and with that the two manage to move the elevator. They managed to move it a good few feet, before the shaft is wracked by an explosion, and the elevator is dropped farther down the shaft, throwing the people in it around painfully.

After the dust settles, all they can hear is Ally's muffled sobs. Henry quickly scrambles up from on top of her, to sitting next to her. Archie slides down on her other side, and help the young girl sit up. From what he can see of her bandage, her arm looks worse.

"I really don't feel well." Ally admits. It hurts Henry to see Ally in this much pain. Out of the two of them, he's always the one complaining when he gets hurt, so when she's actually crying about it, and admitting it, then it must be bad. Archie bites his lip, and looks at the two kids worryingly and sadly.

"I know Ally." Archie tells her, trying to console the girl, even though his own hope at escape is dwindling.

"I'm really…really, really sorry." Henry says giving Ally a watery look, and then flicking his gaze to Archie.

"It's okay Henry." Archie assures him, trying to stave off a breakdown, when they're already in a lot of trouble.

"I just wanted to find proof." Henry says his voice wobbling. Before he can beat himself up anymore, Ally grasps his hand tightly with her good one.

"I did too." She tells him. Henry gives her a wobbly smile. He's the reason that she's hurt in the first place.

"You know, it's really alright, Henry, Ally. And um, um, I'm sorry, too. Look, I… I don't think you guys are crazy. I-I just… I just think Henry's got a very strong mother, who's got a clear idea of a path that she wants you to be on and when you step off that she… She gets scared. And, you know, it's natural. But it's also natural for you to be able to be free to think the things that you want to think. And Ally your mom wouldn't ever give you up despite what you do. She loves you too much to do that. So, anyway. I… I didn't mean those things I said and I never should have said them." Archie tells them getting it off his chest.

"Then, why did you?" Henry asks him.

"I guess I'm just not a very good person. I'm not the man I want to be." Archie admits. Before anyone can reply though, a metallic screech rings out, and the elevator drops lower in the shaft. The all cry out, and clutch the floor.

When it comes to a stop again, everyone lets out a sigh of relief. Ally on the other hand was seriously starting to not feel well. Her head was fuzzy and pounding at the same time, and the pain in her arm was getting to an excruciating level. Not to mention that the tips of her fingers were beginning to get tingly.

She didn't dare tell either of them, for there was nothing they could do. Ally was already pretty sure that she was going to die in that elevator. Maybe Henry could still get out though, that would make her happy.

"I think you can be him. I think you can be a good person. I mean, you're Jiminy Cricket." Henry tells Archie suddenly. Both Archie and Ally turn to look at him.

"Henry. Henry, Jiminy Cricket was a… He was a cricket, okay? And he was a conscience. And… And I hardly think that's me." Archie tells him.

"But before he was that, he was a guy who took a long time to figure out the right thing to do." Ally adds, deciding that she's forgiving the guy, since he after all came down here to save them.

"That kind of sounds like me." Archie admits slowly. Henry grins at him.

"Now it's harder for you because of the curse. To hear the voice inside of you. To be who you want to be." Henry says, right before the elevator drops again, and they all scream again.

* * *

This time when Ally comes to, she finds that she's still in the elevator shaft with Henry and Archie, and that they're talking. Archie just said something about him not remembering but, Henry having made him believe that he could be a better man. Ally cried out as a wave up pain hit her. Henry and Archie turned their worried gazes to her.

"I just want my Mom." Ally groans pitifully. Suddenly loose rocks and pebbles rain down on them from above. All three prisoners look up and see a light.

"Wh-what's that?" Henry asks. Archie grins at the two kids, relieved beyond belief.

"I think that's the rescue." He tells them. No sooner had he said the words then Emma comes into view.

"You guys okay?" Emma asks them worriedly, trying to assess the situation. Archie slowly and carefully climbs to his feet.

"Henry and I are okay, but Ally's hurt— really hurt. You got to get her out of here." Archie says quickly.

"Shit! Okay, what's wrong?" Emma asks worried about the answer that she's going to get.

"She took a good hit to the head when the tunnel collapsed, and her arm— well her arm is hurt really bad." Archie relays. Emma winces, and curses internally. That is not what she wanted to hear.

"Okay, I want you to slowly pass her up to me, then Henry." Emma says. She watches as Archie slowly and carefully lifts Ally up, and through the top of the elevator to Emma.

"Okay kid I want you to hold onto my tight with your good arm. Henry is going to hold onto my other side, while I hold you, got it." Emma asks her. Ally nods her head with a sob, and wraps her good arm around Emma's neck tightly.

"Pass him up." Emma orders. When Henry comes through his time, he latches onto Emma's other side and holds on for dear life.

"Hold on tightly kid, and don't let go." She tells him. Henry nods in fright. Emma looks down sadly at Archie. He looks up at her with an understanding look. The elevator suddenly shakes violently.

"Archie." Emma says desperately. He smiles at her grimly.

"It's okay." He tells her. With a screech the elevator falls, and Archie with it, well that's what the three think when the scream his name, but they hear a laugh, and see Archie hanging onto his umbrella below them, the handle of it which is latched onto Emma's support cable.

After close to ten long laborious minutes of being slowly pulled up to the surface, the group makes it. Regina quickly whisks Henry away despite his protests, and Archie pants on the ground, clutching it. Emma slowly stands with the you badly injured, sobbing girl in her arms. She looks around for Ruby.

She knew that she was still here since she was there since Archie and Emma picked her up. "ALLY!" Ruby's cry comes from their right. Ruby skids to a stop in front of them, when she sees the state that her daughter's in. Tears start to fall faster from her eyes when she sees all the blood.

"Ruby! Now is not the time to break down. We're taking Ally to the EMTs. You're going to get in the ambulance with her, and you're going to hold your daughter's hand and calm her down. You are her mother, and you're what she needs right now more than anything." Emma tells her sternly, shaking Ruby out of her panicked haze.

She nods her head, and follows Emma and Ally over to the paramedics who lie the girl on the gurney. As soon as she's lying down though, Ally breaks into panicked sobs. Ruby hurries over to her side, trying to keep out the sight of the blood on her baby.

"Oh baby. Ally, its okay, you're going to be okay. I'm here now, Mommy's here. Shh…" She says grasping Ally's good hand, while using the other to smooth out her girl's wavy chocolate locks. Big watery brown eyes stare back at her that remind her so much of her father.

"It hurts…" Ally says her voice cracking. Ruby bites her lip, and feels the ambulance start moving, sirens on full blast. Ally feels a pinch in her left hand, then a warm heavy feeling running through her veins. Her vision starts to get fuzzy, and the panics her, for she really needs to see her Mom.

"What did you give her?" Ruby demands staring at her calming child, watching as her eyes finally slip closed.

"Just something to calm her down and help her with the pain. That's all. She should be good till we get to the hospital. The ambulance finally arrives at the hospital after what feels like ages to Ruby. She tries not to think of how badly her child is injured, when just seeing her pale unresponsive face feels like her heart is being pulled out.

The doors of the ambulance open, and the paramedics jump out wheeling Ally behind them, and Ruby quickly follows them, all the way up to the point where they gather doctors, and wheel Ally straight to double doors and through them. When Ruby tries to follow them a nurse stops her.

"I'm sorry ma'am but your daughter is being prepped to go in for surgery. You'll have to wait here, and I promise I'll keep you updated." She says, before turning and hurrying through the double doors after her daughter. Ruby just stands there frozen before Granny arrives and rushes over to her.

"Ruby! Where is she? Where's Ally? Is she okay?" Granny demands grabbing her granddaughter's arm desperately. Ruby shakes her head, trying to speak but words won't come out. Granny leads her over to a chair and helps her sit down. "Come on child, you can tell me." She says softly.

"She-she's in surgery! I-I don't know what's wrong, or if she's going to be okay!" Ruby cries burying her face into her hands. Granny sits down next to her and wraps her arms around her. A few minutes later Emma and Mary Margaret come bursting through the doors, and skid to a stop when they see the Lucas women sitting there, Granny solemn and Ruby sobbing.

"No…" Emma says refusing to believe the worst, while Mary Margaret fights her own tears and sits down on Ruby's other side trying to comfort her. "Not the kid." Emma pleads. Granny looks at the two new arrivals.

"She's in surgery. We don't know what's wrong or if she's okay yet." Granny relays the little information that they have. Emma breaths a small sigh of relief before beginning to pace in front of them. This was not how today was supposed to go.


	6. Hospital Blues

Disclaimer: Do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will. Ally is mine though.

 **A/N: Episodes 6 and 7 are condensed into one here, for there wasn't enough for Henry and Ally to plausibly be in. So a sort of fluffy chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

06-Hospital Blues  


"Are you sure that you can't sneak me anything from Granny's?" Ally whines from the confines on her hospital bed. Al the young girl this was adding insult to the injury that she had already sustained. She couldn't get out of bed by herself, for the mild concussion, and her hospital gown had baby ducks printed all over it. Truly this was an embarrassing ordeal all together.

Ruby chuckled at her kid from the doorway of her room. Ally looked slightly better from when she had last seen her a few hours ago, when she had first woken up. Of course since Ally was indeed her kid through in through, the first thing that was taken offence to was the hospital food.

"Positive pup. I tried to bring back a burger for myself, and that nurse out there— let me tell you, she's scarier than your Gigi." Ruby says, making Ally shiver at the thought.

"Fine… I guess that I'll just have to survive on Jell-O alone. That is if everyone stops stealing it from me! I've been awake how long, and have had at least four Jell-O cups that disappeared. This is an outrage." She pouts. Ruby laughs, and sits back down in the recliner next to her daughter's bed.

She's finally able to deal with the sounds of the beeping monitors better. Those little beeps mean that Ally is okay and still there in front of her. Ally turns her head to look at her Mom, and sees that she has a distant look in her eye again. "You don't have to stay here all the time you know. You can go home. Gigi is going to come visit me tonight, and Henry and Emma are stoppin by after that party." Ally tells her softly.

Ruby jolts out of her fog, and gives her child a level look. "Nope. Pup, I am perfectly happy just right here. So… how's your arm doing?" She asks adding a lightness into her voice at the end of her sentence. Both of them look down at the offending appendage.

Ally's right arm is in a thick red cast from the middle of her bicep, all the way down to the tips of her fingers. The cast is a bright fire engine red, for it reminds Ally of her Mom, and their car, pretty much her family. Ally scowls down at the cast, and then flicks her saddened gaze up to her mom.

"It hurts, and I can't move it all that well. How long did the doctor say that I had to keep it on?" Ally asks, trying to keep the whining out of her voice. Ruby chuckles, and reaches out, to brush her fingertips against those just seen in the cast.

"Baby, you had a really bad compound fracture in your arm. They had to do surgery to fix you remember? Dr. Whale said that it would be at least six to eight weeks of recovery." Ruby reminds her softly. Ally winces at the long time again. She can't be hurt for that long. Henry needs her.

"But— but that's like forever!" Ally pouts, and at that Ruby can't hold in her laughter anymore. Ally's pout grows larger at the sound of her laughter. Just what she needed, her own Mom making fun of her.

"Its only a month and a half, two months top pup." Ruby says looking at the girl fondly. Ally grimaces not liking the sound of that time period either.

"Do I have to stay in the hospital that long?" She says not really wanting to hear the answer in case she actually does need to.

"No. Thank god for that. It's only been a few hours, and you're ready to make a prison break. Dr. Whale said a few days observation that's all." Ruby tried to placate Ally, seeing as she's only getting worked up now. With a groan of defeat she slumps back into her pillow.

"Should never had let Henry go into that mine." Ally mumbles softly. She thought that her Mom wouldn't hear that, but her Mom has always had excellent hearing.

"Ally you are not responsible for what Henry chooses to do or not do. You are responsible for what you choose to do. You shouldn't have gone down that mine after him. You should have come and gotten one of us adults!" Ruby scolds trying to keep her lingering fear from turning to anger at her child.

Ally's bottom lip quivers and she stares down at the brightly colored sheets that have small animals on them. "If I didn't go, then Henry would have been hurt, and he wouldn't trust me, then he'd be alone, and I'd be alone again. I didn't wanna go but I had to." Ally whimpers, trying to fight off the tears. She's so tired of crying, she already cries when the pain gets to be too much for her.

Ruby has to fight back her own bad feelings she has at the thought that her daughter feels so alone that Henry was the only person that she had. She gets up from her seat and moves over to the bed. Ally is already so small in the bed that she easily, and gently slips behind her so that she can wrap her arms around her.

Ally snuggles her head underneath her Mom's chin, and sighs. She hasn't been held like this since she was really little, before her Mom decided to go out all the time. Ruby let out a shaky breath, and rested her chin on her daughter's head. Both of them needed this, they needed this closeness.

A half hour later Ally was in pain again, and one of he nurses hurried in with a syringe that she plunged into her IV. "This will help with her pain, and let her res a little." She tells the worried mother, before scurrying away. True to her word, Ally was back asleep in the matter of minutes.

Ruby just watched her rest peacefully for once. She remained holding her for a few hours, until Ally woke, and mumbled that she needed to go. So after much embarrassment and struggle, the young girl was finally back in bed and awake again. Ally and Ruby were playing a game of hangman together when the door opened, and a sprinting Henry came flying at Ally.

"Careful!" Both Emma and Ruby shouted, but they shouldn't have worried. Henry climbed up onto the bed beside Ally, and hugged her tightly, but not too tightly. Ally raised her good arm up and around him, hugging him back as well.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Henry cries not letting of his best friend hoping that she will forgive him for putting her squarely in that whole mess.

"It's okay Henry. I told you back in the mines, I wanted to go too. Besides you would have gone without me, and then it would be you in here…" Ally tells him as the pair pull apart. Henry wipes at his eyes, and both the adults can see that he still feels guilty.

"Ah, come on squirt. It isn't your fault. Those mines should have been better guarded if they didn't want munchkins crawling around in there." Ruby tells him, trying to make Henry feel better.

"Yeah, I'm never going underground ever again. If Gigi needs something from the basement again Mom, you can forget about it." Ally says jokingly, but again the adults see the real fear in her eyes. Ruby smiles slightly at that, but mostly she's worried about how they're going to deal if she has nightmares.

Emma finally approaches the bed, and Ally grins at her holding up her good hand for her to take. "Thank you for rescuing me Emma. You really are the Savior." Ally says. Henry shoots her a frantic look, but she ignores it.

"No problem kid it's my job. But, even if it wasn't I'd still come and get you because my life just wouldn't be the same without you two crazy kids in it." Emma tells her squeezing her hand. Ruby smiles at the three of them, reassured once again that as long as Ally was with Emma that nothing would happen to her kid.

Emma and Ruby sit back and watch as Henry and Ally squabble over what he can write on her cast. Emma lets out a soft chuckle. "They are quite the pair." She says. Ruby smirks.

"They always have been. It's like having two kids for the price of one. Wherever Henry is, that's where Ally wants to be. It's the same with him. I think it kinda drives Regina up the wall, but its good for them." Ruby says softly. Emma snorts, and watches as Henry finally takes the black sharpie to Ally's cast.

"Hey, why don't you head home and shower, get some stuff together, and some food. Henry and I will stay here and watch Ally." Emma offers. Ruby bites her lip, and looks worriedly at her daughter. It was like she had finally seen her kid again, and she was slipping away. Emma could sense the panic in her.

"Don't worry she'll still be here when you get back." She reassures her. With a shaky breath Ruby nods her head. Ruby moves over to the bed, and pets her daughter's hair softly. It's enough to make her look up from Henry's work.

"Hey pup, I'm going to head home and then to the diner for a little while. Grab some of my stuff and talk to Granny. Emma and Henry will be here with you." Ruby tells her, taking in the slightly glassy look that's still in her eyes from the meds.

"Okay… you're still coming back though right?" Ally asks reaching up with her good hand. Ruby laughs, and kisses her forehead.

"Course I am, and I'm spending the night with you. I'll be back later pup." Ruby promises, as she reluctantly goes out the door. Ally bites her lip and looks down at her cast. Henry has just finished, and she laughs at what he wrote. Wolfpup— thanks you saved my butt. Love, Nightwing. Ally wraps her good arm around Henry and hugs his tightly to her.

"Love you too you dork." She tells him. Henry returns the hug, and Emma snaps a picture of them with her phone quickly. They're just too cute.

"Um… aren't you two supposed to think that the other has cooties?" A voice questions. Henry and Ally pull away, and whip around to see Rose standing in the doorway with a big bag over her shoulder. Henry and Ally's eyes widen when they see the added bright pink streaks to her dark brown hair.

"Mom's going to kill you." Henry says while Ally beams at her.

"That's so cool! I wanted to get red streaks like my Mom but Gigi said no." Ally says grinning at the girl. Rose closes the door behind her, and drops the bag with a thud.

"What do you have in there?" Emma questions her suspiciously. Rose smirks, and approaches Ally's bed.

"Well mom's going to be busy tonight, so I thought that we could camp out in here and keep Ally company. It's not like she'll miss us anyway. Besides, this gives me a chance to make sure that this crazy kid is actually okay." Rose says giving Ally a pointed look.

Ally raises her casted arm up off the pillow with a slight wince. Rose shakes her head, and steals the sharpie out of Henry's hand. "Mind if I make a drawing on here?" Rose questions. Ally's grin just widens in size.

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" Ally cries. Rose smiles at the girl, and moves around to the chair on the other side of the bed, so that she can work on her arm. Henry crawls across Ally carefully to sit on her left size. Emma smirks as he makes himself comfortable beside her.

"Hey Emma, if you want to look in my bag, I have about a dozen movies that these two haven't seen. We can put them in, and they'll be hooked." Rose calls out to the slightly shell shocked woman. Emma shakes her head at the trio fondly. They look like they're family all huddled around each other. But that's what they are, aren't they?

Emma goes over to the oversized backpack, and picks it up. Jeez that kid was stronger than she looked. This thing must have weighed at least fifty pounds. She unzipped the top, and fished around inside, pulling out a half dozen mystery movies at least rated PG-13.  
"Rose they're ten!" Emma cries holding them up. Rose flicks her gaze up from the cast for a second before smirking at her deviously.

"You think they haven't seen worse before? Besides, these two eat up mysteries. They'll be guessing who did it the whole way through the movie. We'll have to keep count." Rose says, turning back to the drawing. Henry finally rips is attention to Emma, and grins madly seeing what she has in her hands.

"Oh, this will be awesome." Henry cries. Ally grins as well, but she's beginning to look a little strained. Emma walks over to the kids, and taps the girl's head. She looks up at Emma wearily.

"You okay kid, you look in pain." Emma says. Ally gives her a tight smile.

"Yeah, the nurse should be by soon." Ally tells her. True to her word a few minutes later a harried looking nurse slips into the room, and stops at what she sees in front of her. She blinks a few times before smiling at the group.

"Well Ms. Ally it looks like you have quite the fan club to keep you company. That's good, love always heals hurts faster." She says going over and injecting pain meds into Ally's IV. Emma watches worriedly, as the young girl stiffens for a second, before sinking back into her pillow that Henry's sharing.

Her breaths start getting easier. "Thanks." Ally says, and the nurse smiles at her.

"Your dinner will be in in a few minutes." She says and exits the room. Ally makes a face at that.

"So how was the party for 'Mr. Nolan'?" Ally asks not really believing that that's his real name. Emma groans. Even hospitalized these kids won't give up on this theory. If anything it has seemed to strengthen it.

"Stop moving Ally." Rose snaps gently from her side, making intricate moves with the sharpie on the red cast.

"Okay I guess. Prince Charming spent all his time looking for Snow White." Henry tells her. Emma shakes her head in defeat. She gives up! There's no getting through to those kids!

"Emma pop in the movie." Rose instructs pointing to a random one. Against her better judgment she does. After she hits play, both kids snap their heads up to the television screen enraptured by the opening credits of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Emma watches amazed for five minutes as the kids sit still and watch it intently.

"Told you." Rose says softly putting the finishing touches on her drawing, and capping the sharpie. "All done Ally." She says patting the heavy cast lightly.

"Pause it!" Ally cries out, and with a smirk Emma does. Both kids clamber to look at the design on the cast. Ally's eyes widen at seeing the intricate and beautifully drawn wolf that's now on her cast by Henry's note. The wolf has its head thrown up and howling.

"That's so cool! I want a cast!" Henry cries. Emma ruffles his hair and shakes his head.

"Its beautiful! Thank you!" Ally cries, leaning forward and squeezing Rose in a hug. The older girl laughs and returns it.

"Okay, okay, time to keep watching your movie." She says pointing to the screen, and immediately both kids are back to being absorbed in the plot. Ally's food is brought in for her and she picks at it, and slaps Henry's hand away from her Jell-O with a small growl.

When Ruby and Granny come back to Ally's hospital room a few hours later they're shocked to find the room dark and with four mesmerized faces staring at the television screen that was showing a chase scene. Rose was curled up in another recliner with a blanket over her, and Ally and Henry were still scrunched together in Ally's bed. Emma was sitting in a regular chair watching the movie as well, until they came in.

Emma smiled at the two women, and gestured to the enraptured kids. Ruby grinned at the sight. This is exactly what Ally needed to heal. The young girl flicked her eyes away from the screen for a moment to see her family. With a wide grin, she waves at them with her good hand, to come on in.

Seeing no choice they entered, and were soon in the same position as everyone else. In all it was a great night.

* * *

The next day finds Ally and Henry alone in Ally's hospital room. Rose had gone home to shower, and attempt to avoid their mother, and Emma was back at the apartment with Mary Margaret. Granny was at the diner, and Ruby was there getting coffee and a good meal.

Ally was getting discharged tomorrow on Monday. Henry was pacing in front of Ally's bed. He was planning out their next step in Operation Cobra. They were going to have to be much more careful now, considering Ally almost died on their last plan.

"We're going to have to be careful on what we do from now on. The adults are going to pay closer attention to us now, since the mines happened." Henry tells Ally turning around to look at her. Ally shot him her no duh look.

"Henry I don't think I'll be doing anything crazy for a while. I have six stitches in my face, and two pins in my arm." Ally says. Henry bites his lips, still feeling guilty about what had happened.

"Look Ally…" He starts, but is interrupted by a knock on the door. Both kids turn their attention to the man in the doorway.

"Sheriff Graham." Ally says surprised seeing the man standing there. He doesn't look the best. He's paler than he usually is and he looks very shaken.

"Hey Sheriff. What are you doing here?" Henry asks him moving back to sit next to Ally. He glances behind him, and closes the door, to make sure that they're alone.

"Actually, uh, I'm here to see you, Henry, Ally. I was hoping you could help me." He says shakily.

"Help you with what?" Ally questions him unsurely. Graham shifts nervously in front of the two.

"It's about your book. Am I…in it?" He asks them finally. Both Henry and Ally share shocked looks with each other.

"You— you believe?" Henry asks unsure if he's hearing him right.

"I… I think I do." Graham replies. Henry gives him a long look before motioning him over and to the chair next to the bed. The Sheriff takes a seat, and watches as Ally brings out a large leather bound book from behind her pillows. He raises his eyebrows at that but doesn't say anything as henry flips open the pages to Graham's story.

Henry allows Graham to look at it. "When did your flashes begin?" Ally asks him curiously. He doesn't look up from the book.

"Uh, right after I kissed Emma." Graham says uncomfortably talking about that with the kids.

"You kissed my mom? What did you see?" Henry demands staring at him intently.

"A wolf. I saw that I had a knife in my hand and I was with Mary Margaret." Graham says slowly looking even paler if possible.

"Were you about to hurt her?" Ally asks softly. Graham looks up startled. Those kids couldn't possibly know that.

"Yes! How do you know that?" He demands looking at them intently.

"Because Mary Margaret is Snow White. Which makes you the Huntsman." Henry says excitedly.

"So, you really think that I could be another person." Graham says slowly trying to process all this information.

"Makes total sense. You were raised by wolves – that's why you keep seeing one. It's your friend – your guide. It's trying to help you. I know a few things about wolves." Ally says with a grin.

"How?" He questions. Henry grins at his friend.

"Let's just say that I'm the little girl, of the little girl in the red hood." Ally says smirking. Graham's eyes widen at that.

"I'm remembering this because I kissed your mother? H-How is that possible?" He asks Henry looking absolutely floored.

"Well, you two do have a special connection. She owes you her life." Henry says looking at him intently. Graham pries his gaze back up to the kids again.

"Why?" He asks trying hard to understand how that could be.

"Snow White's her mother and you spared her. If you hadn't, my mom wouldn't have been born." Henry says simply but gratefully. Ally nods her head.

"Wh-What happened after I spared Snow White?" He asks, unsure if he's going to like the answer to this question.

"Well— the Queen took your heart. She ripped it out. It's kind of her thing. She never wanted you to be able to feel again." Ally says softly knowing that it would upset both Graham and Henry.

"Let me see that book." Graham says taking it from Henry's hands, and flipping through the pages, looking intently at the pictures. Ally feels badly at seeing him this way. No wonder more of them don't remember, it practically drives them mad to do so.

Graham suddenly points down at a picture in the book. "What's that? I saw that, too. The wolf was howling at it." He demands pointing at a symbol.

"That's her vault. It's where she put your heart." Henry tells him. Graham nods his head and gets to his feet.

"The wolf wants me to find it. Thank you, Henry, Ally." He says and quickly leaves the room without another glance back. The pair sit in silence for a minute before looking at each other worriedly.

"I have a bad feeling about all this." Ally tells Henry. After a moment he nods his head.

"Unfortunately I agree with you this time." Henry says with a heavy sigh sitting back down and the two of them look down at the book heavily, finally understanding the burden they're carrying.


	7. Desperate Souls

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. I never will. Only Ally is mine. Enjoy.

* * *

07-Desperate Souls

Two weeks later Henry and Ally are sitting on their castle. Ally had been discharged late at night the night the tragedy had occurred. Ally couldn't believe that Graham had died. They had literally seen him only hours before. Henry on the other hand was mad, mad and upset about how the world worked.

The only reason Ally was out here with him now is for she was able to reassure her Mom and Gigi that she would be taking it easy. It was an easy promise to make since; she still hurt all over for the most part.

Ally looked off at the gray ocean while, Henry glared down at his book. How could life be so unfair? Emma approaches the sulking pair slowly, and glances down at the walkie-talkies in her hands. Was this a bad idea?

"Brought you guys something. Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra." Emma says holding out a pair of the devices for the kids. Ally and Henry both take one. Ally fidgets around with it with her one hand, since her broken arm is strapped to her body by a sling.

"Thanks." The kids say softly. Ally even manages a weak smile, though Henry just broods at it darkly.

"Oh, come on! What's up? You've been ducking me for weeks." Emma cries. Henry doesn't look at her, but Ally gives her a sad look.

"We've seen each other. You come to the diner. It's just that Mom wanted me close after everything that happened. She almost lost me, then Graham…" Ally trails off not wanting to finish the sentence. A lump forms in Emma's throat at hearing the sadness that the girl held for a man she didn't see a lot.

"I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while. You don't play with the curse. Look what happened to Graham, and Ally almost ended up exactly like him." Henry says suddenly. Both Emma and Ally look at Henry shocked.

"Henry…" Ally tries.

"Henry, I told you they did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes." Emma says trying to get through to the kids.

"Okay, whatever. You don't believe – good. That should keep you from messing with it. And getting killed." Henry says.

"You're worried about me?" Emma says sounding shocked. Ally widens her eyes at that. How couldn't she see it?

"She killed Graham because he was good – and you're good." Ally explains trying to get Emma to see why this would really upset Henry.

"Guys…" Emma says not really sure what to say anymore.

"Good loses – good always loses. Because good has to play fair – evil doesn't. She's evil. This is probably best. I don't want to upset her anymore." Henry says darkly. With that he gives Emma back his walkie-talkie, and walks away. Ally doesn't go after him though. He needs time to himself. Emma turns to look at the remaining kid with her.

Ally is looking much better than she had before. The stitches had come out of her upper forehead, and there are only the faintest traces of a bruise left. If it wasn't for the broken arm that still ached, it would be hard for you to tell that the girl was ever hurt.

"How are you holding up Ally?" Emma asks her softly. The girl bites her lip and looks back out over the ocean trying to get all her thoughts in order.

"I've been better, but I am feeling better. My arm only aches now. Mom has been staying home with me a lot more. I think she's afraid that she's going to come home one night, and I'm not going to be there. Its good… but also not so good. I don't like that she's worried that what happened to Graham could have happened to me. After all, I was the one in more danger." Ally vents.

Emma nods her head and scoots closer to the girl. "Well I'm glad that you're feeling better. Would you like a ride back to the diner?" Emma asks. Ally nods her head, and Emma helps her down from the castle just in case. What shocks her the most though is that Ally clutches her hand in hers.

Emma looks down at her curiously. "You look like you need the comfort, and I can't exactly hug you properly now can I?" Ally says softly. Emma smiles at her, and leads her to the car. When they arrive at the diner, Ally turns to Emma and gives her a long look.

"Henry will be all right. Just give him some time. Everyone knows that even he truest believer has doubts at times." Ally says knowledgably, before slipping, out of the car, and into the diner. It takes a few moments for Ruby to notice her, but when she does, a big smile graces her face.

"Hey pup! How was Henry?" She asks, as Ally comes over, and awkwardly climbs the stool one handed. Ally bites her lip, not exactly sure what or if to tell her Mom. Ruby frowns at seeing the pensive look on her kid's face. She reaches out and smooths he frown on her scrunched up nose.

"Come on out with it. You're too young to get frown lines." She says softly leaning in towards Ally. Ally finally raises her big brown eyes to her Mom's blue.

"I'm worried about Henry. He— he hasn't been himself these last two weeks. I just want the old Henry back." Ally admits softly. Ruby sighs, and bites back an annoyed comment as she's signaled to a table.

"I'll be back in a sec pup." She promises and hurries off to take a table's order. Ally sighs heavily and thinks over Henry's defeatist attitude with Operation Cobra. Sure it's had some setbacks but Ally still believes. She still believes that the curse can be broken and that everyone can have their happy ending, even Henry.

Ruby comes back over to her as she places the order in. "I just remembered Ally, I'm going out tonight, so I won't be back in time to put you to bed. So be good for Granny all right?" Ruby says giving her the look. Ally bites back her disappointment and nods her head.

These people need help, even if they don't know it, and dang it, Ally is going to help Henry like it or not.

* * *

School was a horribly awkward affair the next day, since Henry and Ally had not only had a fight, they hadn't spoken a word to each other the entire time after that. Mary Margaret Blanchard was very confused, and worried about this development, but is unable to do anything for the last bell of the day rings, and both students, shoot out of the classroom like their seats were on fire.

An hour after school finds both warring friends sitting in the same booth at Granny's but not speaking to each other. This disturbs all of the patrons, Granny, and Ruby, for if anything was usual around here it was those two getting along thick as thieves.

Henry is reading the newspaper as Ally makes a tower out of the jelly containers on the table. The bell on the door dings, and suddenly Emma is standing in front of the kids, her eyebrow raised at seeing the pair on opposite sides of the booth for once. Well it looked like Mary Margaret's call was correct that there was something up with them.

Emma takes a deep breath and slides onto the seat next to Henry looking at the paper in his hands distastefully. "So, how was school?" She asks, opening her question up for both of them. Ally just gives her a look, before diverting her gaze back to her rather impressive tower.

"Okay." Henry says, not even glancing away from his paper. Emma gives the pair of them an incredulous look. They've never been this quiet for as long as she's known them.

"You're reading that paper pretty hard." She says trying to make Henry crack.

"Sidney wrote it." Henry says, passing Emma that paper. The title on the front-page article is, 'Ex-Jailbird— Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars'. Emma glares down at the page, as she finally has both kids attention on her.

"Is it a lie?" Henry asks her softly. Ally glances back and forth between Henry and Emma. She likes both of them, and wishes that this won't break them apart if it goes bad.

"No." Emma admits in a sigh. Henry's eyes widen, and Ally shifts in her seat uneasily. This could easily go either way. Henry has for so long wanted to believe in his fairy tale happy ending.

"I was born in jail?" Henry says again softly.

"Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life." Emma begs him. Henry gives her a soft smile.

"I'm not. Well, not by this." He assures her. Ally smiles at Emma, as she places the last cup on the tower.

"Everyone makes mistakes. You owned up to yours, that makes it all better, right?" Ally says cocking her head to the side. Emma chuckles at the innocent logic behind the girl's statement, but Henry is nodding as well.

"Good. Then, let's throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet." Emma says seriously. Ally grins, but Henry frowns.

"This is what I've been trying to tell you – good can't be evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty – that's why you can't beat her. Ever." Henry says unhappily. Ally groans, and glares at her friend from around her tower. He glares right back, and knocks her tower down. Emma interferes before things can get messy between them.

"I have a new ally. Mr. Gold said he's going to help with the election." Emma says helping Ally put all the containers back into their box. Ally hesitates at hearing that name, and Henry gives Emma a weary look.

"Mr. Gold? He's even worse than she is. You already owe him one favor. You don't want to owe him any more. Don't do this." Henry says warningly. Ally rolls her eyes, but partially agrees with him.

"I don't agree with teaming up with Mr. Gold, but even if you didn't, if I could vote, I'd vote for you to be Sheriff." Ally tells Emma with a grin. Emma smiles at her thankful for her support even though she's only one ten-year-old girl. Henry just crosses his arms, and stares sullenly out of the window.

"Thank you." Emma says, before getting up, and leaving the diner, to go and pay the Mayor a visit.

After a few minutes of silence Henry finally speaks. "I don't understand why you're so upset with me." He says softly. Ally glances up from her hands at him. Their eyes meet, and Ally sighs heavily.

"I'm upset because you've given up. Yes I got, Graham died, but there is still good left in this world, no matter how hard your Mom tries to take it away. You need proof of that? Emma— your mom, is here fighting for you, and town that she doesn't even fully believe that there's a curse. She saved Ashley's baby, she tried to help Graham, she's good." Ally says softly but earnestly.

"You don't have to believe that good will win if you can't. You just have to believe in Emma, she'll prove you wrong." She tells him. Henry's mouth drops open a little bit. Ally has never spoken to him like this before. "I believe Henry, and you should again too."

Ally slides out of the booth, meaning to leave, but she's pitched to the floor by the force of the explosion. For a frantic minute she thought that she was back in the mines, but the shaking lasted for only a second, and this time there were car alarms going off on the street.

The diner burst into commotion, and customers hurry to find out what happened. "Ally!" Henry cries, scrambling out of his booth, and helping his friend up off the floor.  
"Ow… I don't know why these things keep happening to me. I think it's your turn to be thrown to the floor." She grumbles, trying to ignore the throbbing in her broken arm. Ruby hurries over to the kids, and kneels down in front of them.

"Are you guys okay?" She asks looking over each one just to be safe.

"We're fine Mom. We should go and see what's happened, someone might be hurt." Ally tells her, grabbing her hand, and starts dragging Ruby out of the diner, with Henry trailing behind them. The three start up the street to the Town Hall. They come to a stop along with the rest of the crowd, seeing as the building is engulfed in flames.

Henry stares at it with worried, wide eyes. Regina's in there, and no matter how much he may claim to hate her, she's still his mom. Ally lets go of her mom and grabs his hand instead, deeming his need greater at the moment. "It will be okay Henry. I know it will." Ally tells him trying to be upbeat.

"No it won't. The building's on fire! No one can survive that!" He cries. Lo and behold, the door of the Town Hall is kicked open, and out stagger the figures of Emma Swan and Regina Mills. It looks like the Mayor is limping, but other than that and some smoke inhalation they seem fine.

Henry grins and starts bouncing up and down. He drags Ally over to a fireman so that he can ask questions, bringing the pair closer to the ambulances, Regina, and Emma. "Did Emma really rescue my mom?" Henry asks the man. He looks down at the two and gives them a grave nod.  
Ally watches as the Mayor snaps at the paramedic trying to help her, when Sidney Glass comes over to talk to her. Ally still can't understand why she would want him to run the police force. He's never dealt with actual police work before, only writing about it.

She is pretty sure that some experience must be required. "See Henry good does stand a chance." Ally tells him, pulling him away from the now annoyed fireman, and back over to a group of adults they know, which now includes Emma.

"Even if good saves evil?" Henry says unsurely. Ally sighs, knowing that it's going to have to take a major victory for Henry to be able to start hoping again.

"Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asks Emma, as the kids approach the group.

"She did! The fireman said it. They saw it." Henry cries smiling again. Well at least he still seems happy about the things that Emma does right.

"You are a hero." Ruby says to Emma, putting her hands on Ally's shoulders and grinning. "You have my vote in keeping things safe." Ally beams up at her Mom excited that she believes in Emma.

"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue." Mary Margaret says getting excited for the election race now.

"We could make campaign posters." Granny says excitedly.

"Oh, people would love that! That's a great idea. Wait, so…" Archie says as the group slowly starts walking away back to Granny's leaving just Emma, Henry, and Ally behind.

"This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you." Emma tells Henry with a smile. He bites his lip for a second, before he nods in agreement.

"Maybe you're right." Henry admits.

"Finally! You've been unbearable to be around all day!" Ally exclaims. Henry shoves her, and she shoves him back. Emma quickly finds herself separating the friends again. She gets distracted though by something in the debris.

* * *

The next afternoon, finds a lot of the town in the newly fixed town hall seated amongst the crowd to listen to the debate. The only reason why Henry and Ally were present was for their support of Emma. Most of the other kids of Storybrooke weren't even there. Henry and Ally sat in seats of the second row with Ruby and Granny, who had closed the diner temporarily to come and see the debates.

Pretty much this was some of the most exciting things to every happen in the small town. "How do you think she'll do?" Ally whispers to Henry slightly worried. Emma didn't look so good, the last time they had spoken that morning at the bus stop.

"She'll pull through… I think." Henry replies. All whispers are stopped though as Archie and the two candidates Emma and Sidney come out onto the stage. Archie goes to the podium while the other two sit on either side of him.

"I think Archie's the one we're going to have to worry about instead." Ally whispers, taking in his pale, sweaty complexion.

"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates – Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy. Wow, crickets. Okay, uh… Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement." Archie says awkwardly, and hurrying away.

Poor Archie. He's just not cut out for the whole public speaking thing. The Evil Queen couldn't even leave him that. Sidney Glass comes up to the podium. He looks calm and collected, though slightly nervous.

"I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighbourliness, and strength. Thank you." Sidney says, to applause from the audience. Archie hurries back out after the shorter than expected speech.

"And Emma Swan." He says quickly, before stepping away again. Henry and Ally watch closely as Emma approached the podium with an unreadable look on her face. Ally starts to get a bad feeling about what she's going to say.

"You guys all know I have what they call a, uh… Troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the, um… Hero thing. But here's the thing – the fire was a setup. Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this is – I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry." Emma says.

The crowd bursts into excited murmurs, and Mr. Gold gets up from his chair in the crowd and swiftly exits the room. Henry looks from Emma to Ally, who is beaming at the woman. Good will always do the right thing, even if it takes them a little time to figure it all out.

* * *

That doesn't stop Ally from being seriously worried though once they're back at the diner. Ally is sitting in her normal place at the bar, which in her head she's dubbed Ally's place. Maybe one day she can convince Gigi to allow her to put a small plaque there for her own amusement.

Emma is sitting two seats away from her, throwing back the last of the drink that Ally's Mom had poured her earlier. Ruby is behind the counter looking at Emma slightly worried. Her kid is after all present, and they're not exactly the bar establishment that she frequents.

"Another?" Ruby asks cautiously though sympathetically.

"Oh, hell yes." Emma says, and Ruby pours some more of the amber liquid into her glass. Ally bites her lower lip worriedly. She knows that her Mom drinks a lot of alcohol when she goes out at night, but she's never actually seen anyone drink it in person before. Granny only likes the red kind of it wine.

Ruby drifts over to Ally wanting to make sure that her daughter's okay. "Hey pup? You still feeling all right? Pain okay?" She asks worriedly. Ally nods her head but bites her lip, giving herself away.

"If Emma okay? She's acting like you do at night." Ally says, forgetting that they're out in public, and that this is not a public conversation.

"Ally. We will not talk about that." Ruby snaps sternly, and picks up her cloth to go and clean off a table. Ally sighs heavily, and tries to bite back the heavy disappointment. Even though things are getting better, they're still not good. The door dings, and Henry walks into the diner climbing onto the seat between Ally and Emma.

"Hey, Henry." Emma says dully. Henry gives her a worried look before opening his bag, and pulling out a walkie-talkie. He hands it to Emma.

"What's this for?" She asks him, looking at the device dubiously. Ally grins though, knowing what that means.

"You stood up to Mr. Gold. It's pretty amazing." Henry tells her. Ally nods her head along in agreement.

"Not to mention scary, reckless, and stupid." She lists off, and Henry shoves her lightly to make her shut up. Ally grins at them sheepishly.

"Well, he did something illegal." Emma says simply, not seeing how impressive it is what she actually did.

"That's what heroes do – expose stuff like that. I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra." Henry admits with a smile. Ally pumps her fist into the air with a grin.

"Thank god! I didn't want to have to beat you up, because obviously you weren't Henry these last few weeks, and alien had to have abducted you." Ally says seriously, seeing the smirk that Henry is now wearing, and the confused look on Emma's face. The woman smiles though after a moment.

Just then Regina and Sidney enter the diner, and walk over to the three of them.

"I thought I might find you here. With a drink. And my son." Regina says flatly, glossing over the fact that Ally is even present.

"Here to card me, officer?" Emma asks Sidney with a scowl. The man looks sheepish for a second before shaking his head.

"Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you." He says climbing onto the stool on Emma's other side. Henry and Ally share confused looks, not exactly sure what's going on.

"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party." Emma replies, taking another sip of her drink.

"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like." He says cryptically. Regina gives a pained look before pulling out the Sheriff's badge and placing in on the counter in front of Emma.

"Congratulations. …Sheriff Swan." Regina says stiffly. Emma looks at the badge amazed, while Henry and Ally gawk.

"Wait, what?" The pair cry out. More people from Storybrooke start filling the diner.

"It was a very close vote, but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold." Regina admits. Ally and Henry beam at each other, seeing as good had finally won a round after a few weeks of nothing but bad.

"Are you joking?" Emma demands. Sidney snorts into his own drink.

"She doesn't joke." He tells her.

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that." And with that said, the Mayor turns around and exits the diner.

"Well it looks like Operation Cobra is officially back on track." Henry says with a satisfied look on his face. Ally rolls her eyes at his glee.

"Says the boy who almost singlehandedly destroyed it. Boys, never leave them in charge of something if you want it to get done." Ally says. Henry glares at her accusingly.

"Hey!" He cries offended. Emma groans from beside them.

"Don't make my first act as Sheriff be arresting the pair of you for brawling!" She warns. Ally and Henry glance at each other, before breaking out into laughter. Yes, it was good to finally be back on track.


	8. True North

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will. Only Ally is mine.

 **A/N: I would like to thank everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story. Seeing your feedback and that you enjoy it, is what keeps me writing! Once again, thank you!**

* * *

08- True North

A few days later everything has settled back into the new normal. That's what Henry's taken to calling it. The excitement of the last few weeks has died down, and Emma is now a permanent fixture of the town for better or worse. Ally isn't all too impressed by this supposed new normal though.

Her Mom now spends three-week nights not going out before putting her to bed. The rest of the time she's back out doing the same old, same old. Ally was really hoping that after the mines incident, she'd snap out of it, but that only seemed to work for a little while.

Ally was still stuck in the same damn cast, except that a lot more people have signed it, and the thing was really starting to itch. Gigi had found her more than once using the coffee stirrers as a scratching device. Today after school Henry and Ally had decided that it was time to check the newest editions of the few comics that actually come to Storybrooke.

The only place that stocks them is the local convenience store, owned by Mr. Clark, the short man who had severe seasonal allergies. Henry was looking through the newest Wolverine issue, while Ally was marveling at the Avengers. It wasn't like they totally lived in an isolated bubble after all.

The two are minding their own business reading comics, when a girl a little older than them, with long dirty blond hair approaches them. "Whatcha reading?" She asks Henry curiously glancing at his comic. Ally raises an eyebrow at the interaction, for no one just comes up and talks to Henry. All the other kids hate him for he's the Mayor's son.

It still confuses both Ally and Henry how Rose could be so popular, even with such a despised mother. "The Hulk versus Wolverine." Henry replies uneasily. Ally closes her comic against the counter; since that was the only way she'd been able to hold it open, with one hand.

"I'm Ava. I think I've seen you around school. You're in Miss Blanchard's class, right?" The girl, Ava says. Ally narrows her eyes at her, still not quite liking that she's taking an interest in Henry all of the sudden.

Henry nods at her, and suddenly another boy close to their age comes up beside the girl.

"Almost ready, Ava?" He asks her. Ally takes an uncertain step closer to Henry, for if they chose to attack, it wouldn't be the first time someone tried to beat Henry up. Only this time Ally was down an arm, and that didn't bode well for either of them.

"This is my brother, Nicholas." Ava introduces us to him. Nicholas smiles, and at least he actually includes Ally in that. If anyone would be getting hit in the near future it would be his sister, no matter how friendly he was.

"Hi. Come on – let's go." He says pulling on his sister's sleeve to get her moving. Something really wasn't right with those two. They were far too tense, for a random conversation with two ten-year-olds.

"You want to come hang out?" Ava asks suddenly, this time including Ally in the invite. Henry shoots an excited glance at his friend, and then turns to the two siblings, that they don't even know.

"Sure!" Henry cries, looking forward to making new friends. Ally flashes a halfhearted grin at them, and turns to follow the two siblings out of the store with Henry. Suddenly there is someone grabbing Henry and Ally by their backpacks, stopping them from leaving. Ava and Nicholas freeze as well.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? Open up your bag." The owner of the store Mr. Clark demands. He snuffles into a tissue and glares at the four of them.

"What?" Ally demands, speaking for the first time since meeting the kids. Mr. Clark narrows his eyes at her.

"Don't think I didn't see you rob me. Open your bag." He demands giving Henry a rather pointed look, before opening Ally's as well. She's sure that nothing is in hers, and he comes up unsurprisingly empty handed. That just seems to upset him more. So he goes digging through Henry's.

"I didn't take anything." Henry cries bewildered that this is even happening. Ally glares at the man and the to other kids, for she's irritated with him, and sure that the other two are the reason that this is happening. Mr. Clark pulls out a handful of candy from Henry's bag, and Ally glares at the two uncomfortable looking kids.

"And a liar too." Mr. Clark declares giving Henry a hard look. Henry's eyes are as wide as saucers now staring at the contraband in his bag. Ally turns on the two kids then.

"That's why you were talking to him. So your brother could put that stuff in there." She growls taking a threatening step forward, or at least as threatening as a ten-year-old with a broken arm can look.

"Henry, Ally, … I'm shocked. And you two – just who do you think you are?" Mr. Clark demands, before going back behind the counter, and picking up the phone. "I'm going to have to call your mother." He says ominously, and Henry groans. Ally just keeps switching her glare back and forth between the kids, and the adult, not sure which one she should be more upset with at the moment. No one gets to pick on Henry, well no one but her.

A few tense minutes later Regina Mills comes storming through the door with a murderous look on her face. "Anyone care to tell me why I got a phone call that Henry was in trouble here?" She demands in a deadly tone. Mr. Clark sneezes, and swallows nervously.

"Well, I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but your son was shoplifting." He says as bravely as he can. Ally has to give the man some credit, even if she is irritated with him. He is standing up to the Mayor and Evil Queen.

"Were you?" Regina questions turning her laser gaze on Henry, then Ally in turn. Both kids quickly shake their heads no. Satisfied with her answer she turns back to Mr. Clark.

"Look for yourself." He says stubbornly though holding up the candy. Regina glares at the man, seemingly angry at him for daring to question her.

"My son doesn't eat candy. And he knows better than to steal. Ally here has access to all the food she could ever want, and for free I might add. It was obviously those two. We're going." Regina says finally. She puts her hands on both kids' shoulders, leading them to the door.

Before they can leave though, Emma comes hurrying through, giving both Henry and Ally worried looks.

"Henry, Ally. What happened?" Emma demands looking them over, obviously worried that something bad had happened to them.

"Miss Swan, must I remind you that genetics mean nothing. You're not his mother and it's all taken care of." Regina says tightening her grip on Henry making him wince slightly. Ally just shifts uncomfortably, not liking being caught in the middle of this family drama, when she has her own.

"I'm here because I'm the Sheriff." Emma says explanatory. Ally has to grin a little at that, since not many people can actually win a point with the Mayor, let alone a whole round, which Emma has been doing lately.

"Oh, that's right. Go on – do your job. Take care of those miscreants. I'm taking these two home." She says, and leads Henry and Ally out of the store and away from the two kids, who are now Emma's problem.

* * *

Regina drops Ally back off at the diner so that she can take Henry home, to have some bonding time together. Ally felt sorry for him, for he'd already had a bad enough experience with the siblings, and now he had to deal with his mom. That meant that Ally now had to deal with hers as well.

With a heavy sigh, Ally pushes into the diner. Surprisingly, once she gets through the doors, her mother is nowhere in sight, and Kevin the alternate server is racing around trying to serve the late afternoon rush. Ally is confused since her Mom is always working, for Gigi would be very upset with her, if she thought that she was slacking off in any way.

Ally climbs back up into her normal stool and stares at Kevin intently when he comes back over to her. "Kevin, where is my Mom?" Ally asks him once she has gained a second of his attention finally. He glances down at her, and heaves a sigh. He leans down so that he is at her level, and gives her a look.

"Girl, I would love to know that myself! I've been swamped, ever since Granny called me in, and told me that I'd have to take point." He tells her, and then blows out an annoyed breath when he's summoned to another table. This is not normal, even for her family.

So Ally slips off her seat, and goes back into the kitchen to find Gigi. She finds her grandmother standing over the stove, glaring at the burger that is currently cooking. "Gigi?" Ally asks cautiously as she approaches her great-grandmother. Her head shoots up, and she gives Ally a warning look.

"Don't come any closer child. We don't need to add a grease burn on top of everything else to day." She says, halting the movement of the young girl. Ally bites her lip and glances around the kitchen, trying to see if her Mom is there.

"Where's Mom?" Ally asks softly, not sure if Gigi can actually hear her over the sound of the stove. Judging by the look on her face though, Gigi had heard her. Her grip on her spatula tightens, and she narrows her gaze back at the burger again.

"Home. You mother's not… feeling well." She says stiffly. Ally shifts nervously at hearing that.

"Okay." She says. Ally turns to leave, but not before her Gigi has grabbed her by the backpack, for the second time today.

"Don't be going and bothering her child. Just do your homework, and stay away from there." She orders. Ally deflates a little, and nods her head to her Granny. That doesn't stop her from leaving the diner the back way though, and running to the inn. As soon as she's in the door, she throws her bag behind the counter, and slowly makes her way to her mother's room.

She knows that Gigi told her not to go, but she also said that she's sick, and no one should be alone when they're sick. So quietly Ally turns the knob on the door, and pushes it open to the dimly lit room. She closes the door behind her, incase someone comes into the inn, and starts looking for people.

She creeps over to the bed to find her sprawled out over in on her stomach. Her skin looks paler than usual, and sweat is beading her forehead. Ally moves closer to her, but has to stop a foot away when the sharp smell of alcohol hits her nose. Ally crinkles her nose in disgust, and fights back her tears at seeing that her Mom isn't actually getting any better.

A pang of anger flares in her, but it's soon doused out by the concern that she still feels for her. Ally slips into her Mom's bathroom, and climbs onto the toilet, so that she can reach the higher up shelves of the medicine cabinet. That's where her Mom keeps all her medicine.

She grabs the bottle that she knows is painkillers, and squeezes the top so that it'll unlock. Child proof, they really need to try harder. She shakes two out into her hand, and puts the bottle back. She climbs down off of the toilet, and grabs the cup on the sink, filling it with water.

Once she's done, Ally takes it back over to her Mom's nightstand where she knows that she'll see it when she wakes up. Ally stands there staring at her Mom for a little while, before sighing. She makes her way over to the door, but stops when she gets there. She turns back around to see her still unconscious form.

"I forgive you." Ally whispers, and then ducks out of the room.

* * *

The next afternoon Henry and Ally are hanging out front of the diner. Henry had wanted to go inside for hot chocolate, but Ally was trying to avoid seeing her Mom as much as possible today. Trying to reconcile the two pictures of her was proving t be harder than Ally had though.

As t turned out yesterday, Henry had gone back to the Sheriff station to talk with Emma. He shared with Ally that he thought that Ava and Nicholas were Hansel and Gretel since they had no parents and were lost. Ally nodded along in agreement, once he showed her the pages with pictures that looked almost exactly like the two troublemakers she knew.

Henry also told her about what Emma had said about his father. That he was a brave fireman that had died in a fire saving people. Looking at Henry, Ally could see how that would be the case. Having two strong parents like that could produce someone as good as Henry.

Ally wondered what that made her, since her father was dead, and her Mom was… well her mother was definitely something. The kids are about to go to their castle, when Mary Margaret walks up beside them, with a friendly smile on her face. "Henry, Ally. Just the two I was looking for! I was wondering if you two would like to come to my place to make cookies. Ava and Nicholas will be there, and I think it would be nice to have more friendly faces around." She tells them.

Henry nods his head in agreement much quicker than Ally. She's still not over the fact that they had tried to pin the blame on her friend, for a crime that they had committed. But nonetheless, the pair follow Mary Margaret back to her apartment, and up the stairs. Ally suddenly realized that she wasn't going to be much help, since she couldn't use her one arm still.

Oh well, that was fine with her. She could keep an eye on everything that way. When their teacher opened the door, Ally and Henry were greeted with the guilty faces of Nicholas and Ava. Mary Margaret hurried off to the kitchen to get all of the ingredients ready, leaving the kids in the living room to fend for themselves at the moment.

They all eye the other cautiously, until Nicholas sighs, and shakes his head. "I'm sorry about what we did yesterday. We didn't mean to get you in trouble. We just— we just wanted to eat, that's all." He says.

"Yeah we're sorry." Ava adds less sincerely, but Ally can tell that the girl does in fact, actually seem upset.

"That's okay. I can understand being desperate." Henry says forgiving the two of them. Henry shoots Ally a look, and she sighs as well.

"Fine, yeah you're forgiven. Just don't try it again, or at least… be good enough not to be caught." She says finishing quietly. Ava cracks a grin at that, and the tension is relieved in the room, just in time for Mary Margaret to call them to the kitchen to wash up, so that they can help her.

Ally is deemed the measurer since she only has one hand, while the rest get to mix, pound, roll, and mash. The conversation is light, and people are laughing, so it's enough to keep Ally's mind off of her own problems. Everything is going great, as the first batch is put in the oven, when Mary Margaret's cell phone goes off.

"Hello?" She says as she answers it. Ava and Nicholas ignore her, while Henry and Ally pay close attention. "Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asks worriedly. After a minute she hangs up the phone and turns back to the kids with a strained smile on her face.

"Okay kids, I need to talk to my friend outside for a few moments, so I will be right back. No messing with the oven, and try to not eat all of the batter if you want a second batch." She says, quickly going to her door, and disappearing down the steps.

The four kids look at each other for a moment, unsure what to do exactly. "What do you think that was about?" Ally asks, directing her question to Henry.

"I don't know, but she didn't look as happy as she was trying to get us to believe she was." Henry says furrowing his brow in thought.

"You don't think it was about us, do you? I'm not getting separated from my brother. We'll run away before that happens." Ava says fiercely. Nicholas gives her, a worried look, and Henry and Ally give her apologetic looks for they don't know anything this time.

After a few more tense minutes, Mary Margaret comes back, and the group finishes baking their cookies, though less enthusiastically this time. When they're done Mary Margaret boxes up all but two cookies, and hands them to the siblings. Suddenly Emma is in the doorway, and everyone knows what's happening.

"You can't send them away!" Ally cries. The siblings on the other hand seem defeated, and walk over to her dejectedly.

"Ally, Henry, there's nothing more that I can do. Regina called CPS and they're expecting them there tonight." Emma says giving all four kids an apologetic look. Ally grits her teeth, and Henry grabs her good hand, not liking this situation at all either.

Henry and Ally follow Emma and the kids down to the street. Mary Margaret couldn't come for she was already crying, and had to say goodbye up in her apartment, or she would have really made a scene. Henry and Ally gave awkward goodbyes in the pair, since they never really got to know them, and then stepped away to give them some space with Emma.

Regina came up behind the two and watched the interaction. They watch as Ava and Nicholas climb into the back of the car, and Emma starts to get in the front. "Come on Henry. Let's go." Regina says trying to pull him away. Henry breaks free of her though, and runs to Emma.

"No, you can't take them! They can't leave Storybrooke, Emma! They can't. Something bad will happen." Henry says grabbing onto Emma's sleeve and begging with her. Emma shoots a dirty glare Regina's way and sighs when she looks at him.

"Something bad has already happened." Emma says before getting in her car, and driving away with the siblings in the back seat. Henry stands next to Ally, as they both look after the retreating yellow bug worriedly.

"Something bad is going to happen." Ally whispers, before Regina leads them away.

* * *

That night Henry and Ally are having dinner at the diner. They're talking about the good news that the Mueller siblings won't in fact be leaving, but now living with their father. Henry was wondering if that now meant that he and Ally would now have other friends. Ally wasn't sure how much they could push their luck, but didn't shoot down Henry's theory.

When they were done, Henry ordered a slice of pumpkin pie, explaining that he was going to give it to Emma. He also suggested that Ally tag along so that they could talk about operation cobra. As soon as the pie was delivered and paid for, they left the diner to go and look for Emma.

It didn't take them that long to find her for surprisingly she's sitting in her car, looking at a file. Ally knocks on the window, and Emma jumps with a start, seeing that it's only the two kids that she does know. She opens the door so that they can talk.

"Uh, what's that?" Henry asks, gesturing to the manila file in her hands. Emma quickly stashes it away, so that the pair can't get a good look at it.

"Just an old file. What's up?" Emma asks them, turning her full attention to them.

"Pumpkin pie. I… I thought you'd like some. It was pumpkin, right?" Henry says holding the box up awkwardly. Emma smiles at the thoughtfulness of him.

"Right." She says getting out of her car, to join Henry and Ally.

"It's Gigi's first pumpkin pie of the season, so it should be really good." Ally assures her, and Emma sets down the box on the hood of her car.

"I'm sure its great." She tells the girl with a grin. Then she turns to Henry, and shifts rather awkwardly.

"Henry, about your father…" Emma starts, and Henry turns to her with a sad, but happy look on his face. She pauses, and Ally wonders what she's going to say.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"I'm glad I told you." Emma finishes. Henry grins at her and wraps Emma up in a surprise hug that she actually returns.

"Me too." Henry says. Ally still wonders if that was what she was originally planning on saying, but Emma starting to eat her pie interrupts her thoughts. Henry looks at her critically, and Ally wonders what's going through his head.

"What you did – with Ava and Nicholas – you really are changing things." Henry tells her seriously. Ally nods her head agreeing with that, even though she wishes that Emma would hurry up and just break the curse all ready.

Before anyone else can say anything though, the sound of a loud engine interrupts the quiet Storybrooke air, and suddenly a man riding a motorcycle turns onto Main street. He parks his bike, across the street from the small group, and Ally can see that there's a large wooden box on the back of his bike.

The stranger turns off his bike, and gets off, taking his helmet off as well. Once he's done he approaches the three of them with a friendly although mysterious look on his face. Ally supposes that you one would call him handsome, but she doesn't really like that kind of stuff yet.

"Hi." The stranger says coming up to them. Emma gives the man a cautious look, and keeps her eyes trained on the kids so that she can keep them safe.

"Hey." Emma replies not sure what to make of him.

"Is this Storybrooke?" The man asks, looking around the small lit up Main Street. Henry and Ally nod silently, not sure what to make of this, for they never get strangers in town, ever. Emma was the only one, and she was supposed to be here.

"Yeah." Emma answers again, getting uncomfortable.

"Any place to get a room around here?" He asks, and that floors all three of the residents.

"Uh, you're staying?" Henry asks incredulously. The man turns his head to grin at the two kids.

"That's the plan. Just looking for a bed." He chuckles. Ally swallows roughly, and takes over her part of the conversation.

"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just up the road – another two blocks." Ally says, still not believing that there's a stranger in town, and that he's here to stay.

"Thank you, little lady." He says, and with that, he turns around and starts back for his bike.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name." Emma calls after the mysterious man. He turns around and grins at her.

"Well, that's because I didn't give it." He says getting back onto his motorcycle and driving away. The three of them watch as he drives up the road to where Ally lives.

"I thought you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke?" Emma asks looking down at the two kids, with a cocked eyebrow. Henry and Ally exchange nervous looks.

"They don't." Henry says ominously, and Ally glances back towards the inn.

"I guess that I'm going to find out who he is soon enough." Ally says mostly to herself. Things were definitely starting to change in Storybrooke.


	9. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. I never will. I only own Ally.

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! Having to skip over parts where there is little to no action for the kids.  
**

* * *

09-Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

So things had managed to calm back down in Storybrooke for the most part. The only new thing that had people on edge was August, the stranger in town. When Ally had gotten back to the inn that night, she had seen him in the sitting room sipping on a mug of something, and watching the fire dance.

Ally decided that she had enough of people beating around the bushes to figure out what's going on, so she'd simply walked up to the man and introduced herself, and demanded that he do the same. August had simply laughed, and asked if Ally was indeed the Sheriff's kid.

Ally had made a face at that thought. As much as she loved Emma, and that Henry had now found her, she wouldn't give her Mom up for the world, now that she'd actually found her.

After a few seconds of studying the girl he introduced himself as August, and that he'd be seeing her around town. He wasn't joking about that, but as there weren't any giant disasters, Henry and Ally actually had to focus on their schoolwork for once, which was not the most entertaining.

But now, something bad has happened again. A big storm had come through town the night before, and Henry had woken Ally up early that morning by walkie-talkie. They had to go and check on their castle since, that's where they had decided to hide the book, since Regina or Evil Queen, was beginning to catch on to what they were up to.

So Ally had started out for the castle on foot, since couldn't ride her own bike to get there. When she was finally able to arrive Henry, was already there, with Emma leaning against her squad car. Ally looked at the wreckage of their castle in dismay. This wasn't supposed to happen. Their place was never supposed to be taken away.

"The storm!" Henry cries looking around very upset. Ally comes to stand next to him while Emma catches up.

"It's okay – we can fix it. I'll talk to Marco." Emma says trying to reassure the two kids, that their favorite place won't be taken away.

"Do you think it's still here?" Henry asks Ally, as he drops down into the sand near the structure, with Ally right next to him.

"It better be, or we'll be in some serious trouble." Ally murmurs, helping Henry start digging through the sand, as best she can.

"What are you two looking for?" Emma asks crouching down beside the pair. Henry doesn't bother glancing at her, while Ally looks up at Emma.

"The book." She says softly. Emma's eye widen slightly at the mention of the book that both kids have grown attached to.

"Why'd you bury it here?" Emma asks not quite following the kids this time.

"So my mom doesn't find it." Henry says simply finally pulling out a red lock box, and getting started on opening it.

"Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?" Emma demands shaking her head at this whole cloak and dagger operation.

"That's the first place the Evil Queen would look." Henry says absentmindedly while Ally nods her head in agreement.

"How about leaving it with me or Ally?" Emma asks him confusedly. Ally heaves a sigh and gives her full attention to Emma.

"That's the second place." Ally says seriously, as Henry finally opens the box to reveal the book. Both kids sigh, at seeing that it's safe and still there.

"Its still here, good." Henry says relieved.

"So, your mom doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asks looking around at the fairly barren surroundings.

"No. This is our secret." Henry says solemnly locking the box again, and both kids start reburying it. It was a good thing that they did so at the moment, for a car pulled up and a very angry Madam Mayor stepped out.

"Henry! Ally! I've been looking everywhere for you two. You know you have a session with Archie this morning. I should've known he was with you. Henry, Ally – car. Now." Regina orders, stalking over to the small group as fast as she can in high heels in the sand.

Ally has to cover her mouth with her hand quickly at how ridiculous she looks. Henry stands up with a glare, but not before grabbing Ally's good hand, and dragging her along as well. Once the two get to Regina's car they slide inside. "She's up to something." Henry says the moment the door closes again.

"She's always up to something Henry." Ally tells him watching out the window as Regina and Emma argue yet again. "Those two really know how to go at it." She says softly. Henry turns his attention back to both of his mother's and shrugs his shoulders.

"They're good and evil. They're bound to fight more than most." Henry says. Ally lets out a sigh, and sinks back into her seat, trying to shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen very soon.

* * *

After their session with Archie, Henry and Ally decide that they were going to go back to the castle so that they could grab their book, and hide it somewhere else. Now that Regina had actually shown up at their castle, the security of the book had been compromised.

"That book is all we have left of the truth. If we don't have it, then no one's going to believe us. Then everyone in Storybrooke won't get their proper happy endings as well." Henry says leading the pair back towards the beach.

"Its not like people believe us all that much even though he have the book Henry." Ally states glaring down at her sore arm. Its almost healed, but still stuck in the annoying and itchy cast.

"Yeah but it's the history of all these characters. If we don't know it, then how are we going to help them until they are going to remember?" Henry prods turning the last corner before coming to a stop. Ally's eyes widen as she takes in what's happening.

A construction crew with their bulldozers are destroying and knocking over the castle. The one place that they could be themselves without anyone judging them is being taken away slowly but surely. "The book!" Ally cries. Henry races forward with Ally on his heels, dodging past the construction worker who shouts out that they can't be there.

The two jump over shattered and splintered pieces of wood to get to the spot where they stashed the book. What was worse than losing the castle was seeing the hole where the box used to buried. Ally shot Henry a worried look, before an angry yell went out.

"Henry! Ally! What the hell do you two think you're doing running around a working construction site? Did you two not learn anything from the mines?" Regina growls grabbing bother kids by their arms and dragging them back from the scene, and coming to a stop far enough away.

"Why'd you do it?" Henry yells tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Ally already has tears flowing. That castle has been their special place since they were little, and now it was gone, along with the book that proved that this town was indeed under a curse and not like every other in the country. Ally couldn't believe that, too much was riding on the fact that they were cursed now.

"Henry. Despite what you may believe. I love you very much, and allowing such an unsafe structure to be standing where you or Ally could get hurt, would be irresponsible for me. Sorry if that makes me the bad guy." Regina says before storming back over to the foreman of the site.

"Henry…" Ally says trailing off into sniffles not sure what to even say to comfort him. Henry turns to Ally with determined eyes. He digs around in his backpack pulling out his walkie-talkie.

"Emma… Emma come in… we need you over at the castle ASAP!" Henry says into the device. They both waited breathlessly for Emma to respond.

"Okay… give me a few minutes." Emma responds, and Henry gives Ally a grim look.

"She won't get away with this. We can't let her." Henry tells Ally. Ally nods slowly unsure if this was a battle that they could actually win. The two kids watch in silence as one of their best childhood memories is torn down. A few minutes later though, Emma pulls up in her squad car, and hurries over to them her eyes wide as she watches more of the play structure fall.

"Hey, what happened? I came as soon as I could." Emma says not being able to tear her eyes way from the carnage either.

"The castle! She's tearing the whole thing down! My book! It-it's gone." Henry cries, and Ally starts crying again.

"She— she just took it away." Ally says sadly. Emma glances down at the kids sadly before steeling herself. She goes and marches over to Regina who is still with the construction guys.

"This isn't going to end well." Ally says softly watching as Regina and Emma go at it yet again.

"I don't care anymore. We have a serious problem on our hands. We need to recreate the book, before we forget anything." Henry says suddenly. Ally's eye widen thinking about what he's suggesting.

"That— that book had over two hundred pages in it!" Ally exclaims. Henry gives her a determined look.

"More reason why we have to start now." Henry says seriously before, grabbing Ally's hand, and starting to run the other way back to town. They were going to need supplies, and lots of them.

* * *

The next day found Ally and Henry sitting next to each other at the counter in the diner. There's markers scattered all around them, and sheets of papers in front of each child. Ruby looks at the pair of them slightly concerned, but happy at the same time. The pair of them have been at it for hours starting yesterday and going into today.

She was still worried about the pair of them though, since when they arrived at the diner yesterday, Ally was in tears and had run to her flinging her arms around her, even though she had a try of food in her hand. Usually the girl was much better at knowing when she could hug her mother and not when she was working.

Ruby was still unsure about why Regina would tear down the playground that both of the kids were so attached to. The las time that Ruby had been there with them, it had seemed perfectly safe, but she hadn't been there in a while. With a sigh Ruby grabbed the two mugs that she had been preparing for the kids, and set them in front of the diligent pair.

"Here you go, two piping hit mugs of hot chocolate one with cinnamon for the man with a plan, and one peppermint for the pup that won't give up." She says happy with her quick thinking. Henry and Ally look up from their work on the book to see Ruby smiling at them.

"Thanks Mom." Ally tells her with a tired smile. Ally hadn't slept well the last night since her Mom had gone out again, and her and Gigi had had another yelling match. Things seem to be crumbling faster around here than the pair of them could fix things. Henry was beginning to freak out about it all again.

"Yeah thanks Ruby." Henry mutters absently adding the last touches to his drawing. With a fond shake of her head Ruby goes back to pick up a ready order for a customer.

"Just finished with part of the Evil Queen's story." Henry says softly. Ally nods her head, and takes his finished pages, pulling out a folder in her backpack, and placing it inside to keep them safe. The bell over the door to the diner rings, and suddenly August is sitting down next to Henry. Both kids look at him warily not sure what he's wanting with them.

"Whatcha working on?" He asks them, trying to take a peek at Ally's page, which happens to be the last page of Little Red Riding Hood's backstory. She pulls the page closer to her, not sure if they can trust the man with the book.

"Uh, no time to talk. We got to write it all down before we forget." Henry tells August turning back to his new sheet of paper, and beginning to write out the next bit of story.

"Yeah, I hate it when great ideas slip away from me." August says with a sigh. Ally raises her eyebrow having forgotten that August had mentioned to her Gigi that he was a writer before.

"They're not our ideas. They're stories from a book that we lost." Ally tells him finishing the last little bit on her Mom and Gigi's story. She glances over it, before putting all the completed pages into her folder.

"Must be a hell of a book. What's it about?" August asks curiously trying to get another look at the pages they're working on.

"Stuff." Henry says quickly giving August a wary look. You never knew who could be a spy for the Evil Queen after all.

"Sounds exciting." August comments. Henry sets down his marker and narrows his eyes at the still mysterious stranger.

"You seem awfully interested in me and my book." Henry says suspiciously. Ally glances around the diner trying to find her Mom incase something bad happens.

"No, I'm just being neighborly." August says holding his hands up to the kids defensively.

"What are you doing in Storybrooke?" Ally demands finally getting fed up with her lack of answers from the man. He chuckles at the pair's tenacity.

"I'm a writer." August says simply. Ally rolls her eyes at his obvious and unhelpful answer.

"You can write anywhere. What are you really doing here?" Henry demands sticking with the pressure. The man laughs this time getting up from his stool.

"Stuff. Good luck with the stories." August says before turning and leaving the diner, like he had never been there in the first place.

"I don't like that guy." Henry mutters turning back to his sheet.

"You just don't like him because you can't place what character he is." Ally tells her friend with a grin. Henry glares and her and gives her a small shove back for that comment, before sighing. They still had a long way to go.

* * *

The town was abuzz later that day because of what had happened at the town council meeting. Emma had stood up to Regina and accused her own taking money from the town, but it turns out that it was all so that she could build a new playground for Henry and all the rest of us kids to play on. Ally wasn't so sure that was actually the case, for how much money did building a new playground actually take, when the old one was perfectly fine?

The next day found Henry and Ally sitting on a bench watching a multitude of other children playing on the new playground that Regina had made. They were both thoroughly displeased since there were so many other kids there now. This wasn't going to be a place where they could be alone.

At least she didn't build this new hunk of junk where their old one used to stand. "We'll make a fort." Ally says suddenly, jarring Henry out of his bad mood.

"What are you talking about?" He asks her. Ally grins, and starts bouncing a little in her seat.

"This is perfect! Your mom won't expect us to go back and be there anymore, so we can build a fort. That way we don't have to be around the rest of these kids. Come on Henry it will be fun, and we'll finally have a base of operations again." Ally says trying to bribe her best friend into going along with this idea.

Slowly Henry starts to smile. "I like the way you think Wolfpup." He says with a grin. Ally scowls at him, and pokes him in the ribs hard.

"Took you long enough Nightwing." She returns. Suddenly Henry looks behind them, and grins. "Look! Its Emma!" He cries. Ally turns around and smiles as well seeing Emma sitting in her car. Ally digs out her walkie-talkie so that they can talk.

"Why are you so far away? Come out here!" Ally says, Henry waving at her to get her to join us.

"Sorry, kids. I can't today." Emma says. Both kids give the walkie weird looks like they're sure that they didn't hear her right.

"You're undercover, aren't you? For Operation Cobra?" Henry says. A sigh comes through the device, and Ally bites her lip in worry. Something's not right here.

"No, Henry. I'm not undercover. Your mom – she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while." Emma says finally. Henry shoots a scandalized look at Emma over in her car.

"You don't have to listen to her." He counters, getting anxious.

"Actually, this time, I do. I screwed up, Henry. I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything and… Well, we're just going to have to be apart for a little while." Emma tells him. Ally growls softly not liking this one bit.

"I don't want to be apart." Henry says sounding close to crying. Emma takes a shaky breath and presses the button to talk to the kids again.

"Neither do I. But, right now, we have to. Don't worry – I'll find a way back in. And hey. If it's out there, Henry – I will find your book." Emma tells him determinedly.

"Good luck. It's probably gone and it's probably never coming back." Henry says sadly. With that the three give their good byes and Emma drives away. Ally looks at her crestfallen friend, and nods determinedly.

"Come on." She says getting to her feet. Henry jumps up beside her cocking his head to the side unsure what's going on.

"Where are we going?" Henry asks. Ally give him a grin, grabbing his hand, and pulling Henry to his house.

"We're going to build a fort and I know just the person to ask." Ally tells him. When they get to his house, Ally rings the bell just to get some amusement out of this. A few minutes later, a rather annoyed looking Rose opens the door.

"Don't you have a key? Or use your ninja skills to break in or something?" She asks letting them in and closing the door behind them. Ally just smiles at the teen, and Henry mimics her.

"Actually, we need your help." Ally says. Rose raises her eyebrow, and the three of them retreat up to her room to plot in secret.


	10. Red Handed

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will. Except for Ally and Rose.

* * *

10- Red Handed

A lot has been going on in Storybrooke, Maine the last few weeks. The once normal and monotonous town is now bustling and bursting with energy and its fair share of crime and drama. Someone had awoken the town of daydreamers and the person who lit the fuse on the dormant powder keg is none other than the Sheriff of this very town.

While the adults were busy rediscovering that they could finally live and make choices again (no matter how reckless they may be) the children are left to sort things out for themselves. The perfect example would be young Henry Mills and his best friend Ally Lucas.

Ever since Regina (the mayor/Henry's adopted mom/Evil Queen), destroyed their castle playground, the pair has been hard at work constructing a hideaway, that not even the Evil Queen herself could find. It had taken much begging, pleading, and even a few tears on the ten-year-olds part to convince Rose that she should help them out.

It did help that the fourteen-year-old was going through a rebellious phase of her own (pink streaks in her hair). This would help to make their mother angry, so that was as good a reason as any for the teen to help. It was in the woods behind the demolished site of their old play castle that Henry and Ally decided to build their fort.

It had to be big enough to comfortably fit two- maybe three people, yet small enough so that it wouldn't be easily spotted by someone who was looking for it. That isn't to say that there weren't set backs in the production. Each of the kids had to find ways to sneak off without being followed, and getting the supplies to build such a place was not as easy as it seemed.

Henry had to sneak away paint from the art room in school, Rose had to borrow and replace their mom's tools in the garage, and Ally had to ask Marco (Geppetto) for spare wood that he wouldn't mind them having. Nonetheless the fort was underway and nearly finished after two weeks. Rose was adding the finishing touches to the outside so that no one would find them easily.

Since the teen is an amazing artist she's camouflaging the outside to look like the trees surrounding the shelter. Henry has been having a hard time getting his mom off of his back though. She's even given him a video game to play since he doesn't have his book any longer.

Good news was that Emma was able to find the book once more. She reasons that it fell out of a junk truck and fell into a gutter. Ally wasn't so sure that that's what actually happened, but Henry was sure that that was a sign that Operation Cobra was back in business, and ready to get to work.

With their secret base of operations up and running (lovingly known as the Wolf Den), life seemed to be getting back on track, though Henry seriously seemed to be cruising for a bruising from Ally for poking fun at the wolf thing even more so than usual.

Things haven't been going all that well for the adults in Storybrooke though. Mary Margaret is now being called a home wrecker for breaking up David and Katherine Nolan. The kids don't really understand what the problem is though for Snow White and Prince Charming are already married and are supposed to be together.

Now Katherine Nolan is missing for someone found her crashed and empty car along the side of the road, and foul play is being suspected with David Nolan, and Mary Margaret Blanchard as some of the prime suspects.

Things have been really tense around the Lucas family as well. Ally's Gigi hates what Mary Margaret has supposedly done for breaking apart the Nolan's marriage, and Ruby is still defending her friend to her. That means that the tension is up, and the fighting around the inn has increased to an all time high.

When Ally isn't covering her ears with a pillow or attempting to drown her mom and Gigi out, she's watching as her Mom leaves every night to go out. It seemed like all the progress that had been made since Emma had come back, was being undone all in the course of a few days. Ally wasn't even all that excited about being able to get her cast off in two weeks time.

Ally is currently going over some of her spelling words at the counter of the diner in her normal seat. She's having a hard time paying attention today for she's keeping a close eye on her mom who is currently flirting with August the stranger— excuse me writer, who came to town.

"You can't be serious. A whole year without a roof over your head?" Ruby asks amazed at the adventures that the man has been able to have while she's been stuck.

"Well, you get used to it. Plus, I had the motorcycle. So, if I didn't like a place after a while…" August trails off. Ally jerks her head to the entrance to the kitchen for Gigi has just called her mother's name out and she's currently not responding. This will not end well, Ally is sure of that.

"I've never even been out of Storybrooke. What was your favorite place?" Ruby questions again determined to keep talking the fascinating and worldly man who happens to look good in leather. Ally cringes while trying to focus on spelling vicious correctly.

"Nepal. Best people. They have these prayer temples carved into mountains that are overrun with lemurs." He replies smiling off into the distance remembering the adventure.

"What's a lemur?" Ruby asks before being yelled at again.

"Ruby!" Gigi yells attempting to snap the girl out of her man induced haze.

"Just give me a sec!" She shouts back at her grandmother, not noticing the way her child winces and watches the proceedings with wide worried brown eyes.

"They're little animals. And they have these eyes that reflect light. So, at night, it looks like they glow." August explains before Ruby is called for again.

"Ruby! Stop flirting and get over here!" Gigi growls, and that finally pulls a very unhappy Ruby away from the mysterious stranger and over to her grandmother and daughter.

"I can't believe you did that! That was humiliating!" Ruby hisses to Granny ignoring the ever so distressed sight of her daughter.

"I want you to start working Saturday nights." Granny says before Ruby can go off on another rant about how unfair it was that she was getting decreased time to flirt with the attractive men who happened to show up in the diner.

"Come on— we have an agreement about Saturday night." Ruby says firmly crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Granny now. Ally shrinks back further into her seat, her spelling sheet totally abandoned by now.

"I want to start training you to do the books and the reorders. Business is booming lately, and, with more money, comes more paperwork." Granny argues needing to instill some sort of business sense into her granddaughter before the diner becomes her responsibility.

"Yeah, none of that sounds good." Ruby states, frowning at the idea of having to do more paperwork than she already has to.

"It's got to be done." Granny says simply crossing her arms as well. Ally bites her lip in worry now. It's never a good thing when they get into that stance. When they're facing off against each other like that it means that they're going to start fighting for real soon.

"Is this a punishment for talking to that guy? That's all I did, talk to him. No harm, no foul." Ruby says rolling her eyes at the generation gap that separated her Granny and her.

"If I wanted to punish you, I'd have better reasons. For one thing, you were late. For another thing, Liza, you dress like a drag queen during Fleet Week." Granny chides getting a steely look in her eye. Ruby's eyes flash dangerously at the insult. Ally starts to slip off her chair so that she can be farther away from them when the situation explodes.

"And you dress like Norman Bates, when he dresses like Norman Bates' mother." Ruby snaps back.

"Ruby, you're a grown woman. You can't keep acting like some kid. You have your own kid who frankly hasn't seen her mother home for weeks now!" Granny hisses trying to keep her voice low as to not alert the customers to the family drama that is currently going down for all to see.

"You just want me to act like you until I turn into you. Well, I am not a fossil yet, Granny. I should be out there having adventures with lemurs! And don't you dare bring Ally into this. She is fine!" Ruby seethes glaring daggers at Granny for daring to bring her ten-year-old daughter into this.

"Well, as long as you work here, you're going to listen to me." Granny says finally. Ally's breath catches in her chest. This is not going to end well, she can just tell.

"I didn't ask to work here!" Ruby cries. Granny glares right back at her.

"Well then what's keeping you?" She demands. Ruby glares harshly at Granny for a second before making a decision.

"Nothing! I quit! And I'm taking my daughter with me!" She growls tearing off her serving apron, and bounding around the counter, taking hold of Ally's wrist.

"Mom…" Ally starts.

"Not now Ally. Come on we have to go pack." Ruby mutters leading her daughter out of the diner, as she tries to look back at her Gigi, and her abandoned homework.

That night Ally wakes up to the feeling of being set down on a soft couch from somebody's arms. She blearily opens her eyes to see the silhouette of her mom standing over her with a sad look on her face.

"Mom…" Ally mumbles, not really sure that she's seeing things right. The last thing she remembers is sitting at a bus stop with her mom with her things packed into one bag. It had been cold, she remembered that much.

"Sh pup… we're at Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment. They're letting us stay with them, until I figure out what to do. Go back to sleep, its been a long day." Ruby soothes, running her fingers through Ally wavy brown hair. Her eyes drift shut again, and Ally swears that she hears her mother apologize to her before she passes out from exhaustion again.

* * *

The next day Henry, Ally, and Ruby are hanging out at the police station. Henry and Ally are looking up possible jobs for Ally's mom on the Internet, but are having a hard time finding jobs that would be suitable for her.

"Want to be a bike messenger?" Henry asks Ruby suddenly looking up from the screen to the woman sitting across from the two kids. The kids can't help but notice that she looks a little lost without something to do. Ruby snaps her gaze up to look at Henry just as the office phone rings again for the millionth time in the office.

"Bike messenger?" Ruby asks dubiously. Ally glares at Henry for thinking of something so dumb since he's going off of her fairy tale profession now.

"That's about taking things to people in a little basket." Henry says looking closely at Ruby like he's expecting it all to come back to her at the mention of the basket.

"Nope. Yeah, see, I'm not so great at bike riding." Ruby tells Henry unsure of why he would even suggest that job.

"Its true. I ended up having to have Rose teach me. Remember Henry?" Ally snickers with a faint smile on her lips. Ruby sticks her tongue out at her daughter, happy to hear her giggle. She swears that her daughter is more serious than she is most of the time.

"Yeah. How about taking things on foot, to people, in a little basket." Henry winces when Ally smacks his arm at his insistence that her mom has to work like Little Red Riding Hood in the fairytales.

"I'm not sure that's a real job." Ruby says tossing a crumpled up piece of paper into the trashcan.

"Yeah Henry." Ally hisses to him as suddenly the shrill ring of the phone goes off in the empty sheriff's department.

"Why do the phones keep doing that?" Ruby asks after the call goes unanswered.

"Oh, the non-emergency calls go to a machine when Emma's busy." Henry says turning back to the lists of jobs in front of him when the phone rings again. This time Ruby picks up the phone before it can go to voicemail again.

"Sheriff's station. How can I help you? Mmhmm. I'll get her to return. Thank you, too." She says hanging up the phone. Henry and Ally exchange a look as Ruby picks up the next phone call. This seems almost natural for her.

"Sheriff's station. Hey, Miss Ginger. Uh, no, that's not a prowler. That's Archie's dog – Pongo. Throw him a vanilla wafer. He'll quiet down. Did you still want to talk to Emma? Great. Glad I could help." Ruby says hanging up the next call, just as Emma comes into the station.

"How's it going you three?" She asks hanging up her jacket and coming over to the little group.

"Great. Except I can't do anything." Ruby says looking glum. Ally bites her lip, hating that her mom has that low of an opinion of herself, then again her Gigi isn't all that encouraging all the time. Its only because she loves her mom, at least Ally hopes that that's the reason.

"I'm sure that's not true. I saw you on the phone right now. That was good." Emma assures Ruby with an encouraging look.

"That? That's nothing." Ruby scoffs, and Henry nudges Ally trying to see whether she sees what he's seeing.

"No. No, it isn't. I actually have some money in the budget if you want to help out around here." Emma says trying to gauge her response. Ruby leaps to her feet excitedly with a huge smile on her face.

"Yes! Thank you! Yes. Um, I could answer phones and help out. Um, is there anything else that you need done? Organize files, cleaning up? Please – I want to be useful." Ruby stammers trying not to trip over herself in her excitement.

"I'm swamped with the Kathryn Nolan thing. If you maybe want to grab us lunch, I would never say no to a grilled cheese." Emma tells her. Ruby nods her head happily.

"Done. You want anything kids?" She asks them. Henry grins widely at that seeing his shot to have food that his mother would never let him have.

"Um, two chocolate chip cookies, an apple pie, and a hot dog." Henry says quickly.

"Ditto please!" Ally chirps grinning at her mother. Ruby shakes her head at the kids laughing at their appetites and seemingly never ending stomachs.

"And to think they ate at school." Emma says with a sigh. Ally and Henry shrug their shoulders. They can't help it that they're growing kids.

Ruby goes to leave when she practically runs into Mary Margaret, she doesn't look the greatest, so the kids immediately know that something is up.

"Hey! Lunch, Mary Margaret? I'm getting for everyone." Ruby says with a smile. Mary Margaret shakes her head.

"Uh, no. I'm not hungry." She mumbles and Ruby shakes her head before leaving. Ally and Henry watch closely as the remaining two women start a conversation.

"David's in the woods. There's something wrong with him. He looked right through me. It's like… It's like he was a different person." Mary Margaret tells Emma. Ally gives Henry a worried look. Something is not right with Prince Charming.

A little while later Emma is getting ready to leave and Ally is covering for Henry while he's hiding his book.

"I'm sorry to kick you out kids but I need to go and deal with David." Emma says as Henry comes back to stand next to Ally.

"Its okay. I'm supposed to meet my mom anyway. Ally is coming with since it's near the weekend." Henry tells her. Emma leads the two kids out to the sidewalk.

"You know, you can let Ruby do more. She's Little Red Riding Hood." Henry says, and Ally nods her head.

"Little Red Riding Hood? With the little basket? That seems real kickass." Emma scoffs. Ally scrunches up her nose and shoots Emma an annoyed look. Her mom is plenty badass.

"She is. She just doesn't remember how cool she is or what she's capable of. But it's true." Ally tells Emma earnestly with Henry nodding along. Red is not someone that he'd want to upset a lot like Ally. She takes after her mom in a lot of ways in his opinion.

Ruby comes up to the three of them with two bags of food. "Sorry about the wait. One grilled cheese, and two heart attack specials. Don't let Regina know that I got that for you kid." Ruby says handing out the food that she had acquired. A weird look is on her face, but Henry and Ally can't figure out what had happened. Ally knows that she had to have gone and seen Granny. Maybe she and Gigi had a fight or something.

"You okay Ruby?" Emma asks her slightly worried. Ally watches closely to make sure that her mom is truly okay and not trying to fool her.

"I guess. I mean, this is something I know how to do. So, yay." Ruby says trying to shake off the bad feeling that's sticking to her.

"Okay, let's pack these back up, and we can eat it in the car. I need to do a little wilderness search, and I need your help." Emma says with a grim smile.

"I'm pretty sure I'm just going to screw it up. I mean, I'll screw it up with flair, but…" Ruby trails off. Ally shifts closer to her mom and nuzzles into her side. Ruby strokes her hair absently.

"No, you won't. Come on – you can do this." Emma tells her encouragingly. Ruby sighs, and slowly pries Ally off of her.

"Mom…" Ally says worriedly not liking that her mom is going to go out with Emma when she feels that badly about herself.

"Pup, I'll be fine. I probably won't be home till late, so be good for Mary Margaret for me. Henry you and Ally stay out of trouble." She says kissing both kids on the head, before following Emma to her yellow bug, and they pull away with a wave. Henry and Ally raise their hands in goodbye then slowly drop them.

Henry glances at his best friend not liking the worried look in her eyes. "Come on Ally let's get to our fort and we can eat. We have lots more planning to do!" Henry says.

Ally wrenches her eyes away from the road where her mom and Emma had disappeared and nods at him in agreement. "Sounds good."

With that the two take off heading towards their new base of operations.

* * *

It's late and Ally is supposed to be in bed. Mary Margaret had tucked the girl in and read her a story to make her fall asleep. As soon as Ally heard the front door close after Mary Margaret a long time after she had finished the story, Ally threw off the blanket draped over her, and slipped off the couch.

She pads over to her sneakers and jambs her feet into them and tugs her coat off the rack. Her mom hadn't called at all that night, and she was worried out of her mind. Usually there was Gigi if she go too scared to soothe her back to sleep but now even Gigi wasn't there.

Mary Margaret is nice and everything but Ally just really needs her mom. Once she's got her jacket zipped up she unlocks the door, and slips out of the now empty apartment. Ally climbs down the stairs quickly, and sneaks to the front door of the apartment building.

She looks left and right on the street, seeing no one she sneaks out letting off a shiver when the cool air nips at her. Ally pulls her jacket closer to her, groaning when she realizes that she should have changed out of her pajamas. Running as fast down the streets as she can, she makes her way to the Sheriff's Office relieved when she sees that there's a light still on.

Ally fumbles with the knob for a second before getting the door opened. The bell overhead rings, drawing the attention of Emma and Ruby who are crouched over something on the desk in front of them. They turn around to see Ally shivering, looking at her mom with big eyes.

"Ally! Pup what the hell are you doing here?" Ruby cries shooting Emma a look and hurrying over to her daughter. Ally knows that she's way too big to be held, but she's had a rough night, and really needs a hug, so she launches herself at her mom. Ruby catches her, and holds the girl to her tightly.

"You didn't come back! You promised, but you didn't come back! Gigi's gone and you didn't come back!" Ally cries, tears finally falling, and she buries her face into Ruby's neck. Ruby sucks in a breath, squeezing Ally tighter, and turning around to look at Emma.

Emma had moved the box that contained Katherine's heart so that the girl wouldn't see anything scarring. Ruby gives Emma an apologetic look, and she nods in understanding. Ruby needs to be a mother first now.

"Okay come on Pup, stop crying. I'm right here. There's no need to be scared anymore. I have an idea, let's go and see Granny I think that will make you feel better don't you?" Ruby asks her daughter rubbing her back soothingly.

Ally pulls her face away, and hiccups a little. She locks onto her mother's eyes judging the seriousness in them. "Really?" She asks softly. Ruby smiles at her.

"Really." She says. The pair say goodnight to Emma and walk out of the Sheriff's Office and head to Granny's diner down the street. Ruby doesn't let go of the little girl gripped in her arms the whole way.

When Ruby pushes open the door to the diner Ally is almost asleep in her arms and Granny is behind the counter wiping it down. She looks up surprised at seeing her granddaughter and great-granddaughter in here. "Hey Pup look who's here?" Ruby says softly shifting Ally in her arms.

Ally blinks her eyes open sleepily to see the smiling face of her Gigi. "Gigi…" Ally says happily holding out her hand to her great-grandmother. Granny smiles lovingly at the young girl and squeezes her hand.

"Someone's up past her bedtime." She says softly. Ruby nods her head and shifts Ally's weight in her arms again before going over to one of the empty booths and setting her down on the seat. Ally lets out a loud yawn and lays her head on her arms.

"She was worried about me. I didn't come back when I promised I would…" Ruby tells Granny. The old woman just nods her head understandingly.

"You look good." Granny says.

"Thanks." Ruby replies shifting nervously. Ally closes her eyes and just listens to her family.

"Want something for the Sheriff?"

"No."

"Ah…"

"Your arm okay?" Ruby asks worriedly. Ally tries to pry her eyes open, but its just not working.

"Same as it is every full moon." Granny replies tersely.

"What are you doing here, Ruby? You here to tell me more about your fine new job?"

"I want to come back." Ruby says.

"Why? You were pretty mad." Granny says suspiciously.

"I wasn't mad."

"Looked like mad from here."

"Mmhmm, yeah. Here's the thing – um… You were talking about having me do all this stuff, and I…wasn't sure. I-I said that, you wanted me to turn into you, but… What I meant was, I don't know how to be you. You're a tough act to follow."

There's a moment of silence.

"Oh." Granny says softly.

" And then you wanted me to take on all this extra responsibility, and I… Guess I just got scared. I can't even take care of Ally by myself."

"Don't be. You shouldn't be." Granny says.

"Well, I am. But, it's okay. I can do it anyway. I sort of found someone in myself that was more than I expected." Ruby explains.

"What about adventure? What about lemurs?" Granny asks her.

"Emma was my lemur. Did that, found out I could do that, and also that I don't want to. I don't want a job where a good day means ruining someone's life. I want to do something that makes me happy. Somewhere I love."

"Look – just so you know, I wanted you to do the books and everything, so you could take over when I retire. Own the whole place."

"Own it?" Ruby breathes shocked.

"Sure. I mean, who else would I give it to but someone who loves me back?" Granny says.

"Proud of you." Granny tells Ruby.

"What was that?" Ruby asks.

"You heard me." Granny says a little sharper. "Now, I think its time to get a certain child tucked into her bed."

"I guess so. She conked out on us didn't she?" Ruby says lifting up the sleeping girl and holding her in her arms again. Ally shifts some and lets out a soft sigh. "Time for bed Pup."

"Love you…" Ally slurs sleepily, and relaxes completely into her mother.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the really long update time. School and other stories came up. Anyway I'm back working on this one! :) I decided that I would give something back to all the people who favorited, followed and commented on this story. Everyone is curious about who Rose is in Fairy Tale Land so I'm going to post a poll. I have some ideas for her, but I would love your input! So look for it because it will be up pretty soon, and I hope you liked the chapter! -99bottlestogo :)**


	11. Heart of Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will. Except for Ally and Rose.

 **A/N: Remember to vote in the poll about who Rose should be in Fairy Tale Land!**

* * *

11- Heart of Darkness

The news is all over the town when Ally wakes up the next morning. Mary Margaret Blanchard the fifth grade teacher has been arrested for the murder of Katherine Nolan.

If it wasn't so absurd and scary it would have been funny to even think of. It was all that the small town could seem to talk about. Ally was sitting on her normal stool at the counter listening to everyone voice their opinions about what happened and went down. The bell over the door clangs loudly, and Henry comes racing to a stop next to Ally.

"Did you hear?" He asks breathless and desperate. Ally bites down on her lip and nods her head.

"Miss Blanchard would never do that." Ally says solemnly. Henry nods his head in violent agreement to that and climbs up on the stool next to her.

"We're going to have to prove that she didn't. I mean its ridiculous she's Snow White. She wouldn't kill anyone." Henry says stopping abruptly when Gigi puts down a plate of pancakes in front of the young boy. "Thanks Granny!"

"No problem Henry. Good to see you back around here." She says walking off to attend to another customer. Henry shovels some food into his mouth while Ally watches him with an eyebrow quirked.

"Is she taking to starving you now?" Ally asks her friend. Henry rolls his eyes at her and bumps her shoulder.

"Its time to be serious Ally we need to help Miss Blanchard prove her innocence. I just know that the Evil Queen is behind this." Henry says lowering his voice as Granny passes in front of the pair again.

"I know Henry but this is getting serious. She had our teacher arrested. Don't you think this is a little out of our league even for Operation Cobra?" Ally whispers back. Henry shrugs his shoulders, and downs the last of his milk with the rest of his pancakes.

"Come on Ally. If she's resorting to something this big then that means she's running scared. We must be getting close!" Henry hisses excitedly. "Come on. We have to go find Emma."

Henry slips off his stool and Ally follows after him, shoving the last slice of toast into her mouth as she does so. The pair exit the diner and start walking through downtown.

"Where are we going to go?" Ally asks finishing off her toast and falling into place besides her best friend.

"Well I don't think she's going to be at the Sheriff's office. I highly doubt that Emma believes that Miss Blanchard can kill someone in cold blood. It is her mother after all." Henry says.

"Okay… so then do we go to their apartment? There might be something there, and I'm sure we'll run into Emma at some point." Ally suggests. Henry grins at her and she returns it.

"I knew you'd get back into the game Wolfpup!" He exclaims. Ally narrows her eyes at him.

"You better watch it Nightwing." Ally grumbles as the pair make it to the apartment that Emma and Mary Margaret share.

Henry climbs the stairs first with Ally following behind him. When the pair finally make it to the top, Henry shoves open the door of the apartment without knocking, seeing that the door is already open. Ally follows behind him a little more cautiously.

Emma spins around from her close position near the window. "Henry, Ally? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" Emma demands crossing her arms over her chest.

"Our teacher was arrested." Ally says smartly. Emma narrows her eyes at the girl.

"Don't mind Ally, she's just worried. We have to help Miss Blanchard!" Henry says looking around the small living room wildly like a clue will just pop right out at him.

"I am helping her. That's why I'm searching the apartment. You two need to go home." Emma tells them as sternly as she can, but she can see the worry in both of their faces clearly.

"Not going to happen." Henry says stubbornly. Emma sighs and flicks her gaze to the girl.

"If he's staying then I definitely am. Besides this looks like Operation Cobra stuff to me." Ally says with a shrug. Emma groans.

"Just… stay out of the way." She says finally giving in. Emma has more important things to do like clearing Mary Margaret's name than arguing with ten-year-olds.

"So what are we looking for?" Henry asks excitedly moving over to Emma.

"I'm trying to see if maybe, someone broke in. Looking for busted door jambs, broken glass, muddy boot prints. That kind of thing." Emma says absently.

"So you do think someone's setting her up." Ally pipes up from her analysis of another window.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. The problem is, nobody's got a motive." Emma states. Henry and Ally quickly share a knowing look.

"You do know someone." Ally reminds her.

"My mom does." Henry agrees.

"Regina?" Emma says dubiously.

"Speaking of mom, she is so going to kill you when she finds out that you snuck out again." A voice from the doorway says, causing all three of the occupants to jump. They turn around to see a very annoyed, teenage girl with dark brown hair streaked with bright pink.

"Hi Rose." Ally says with a smile trying to distract the annoyed girl.

"What are you doing here kid?" Emma demands starting to get strained with the amount of kids she has to deal with in this job.

"Miss Blanchard got arrested. There's no way these two will rest until she is out." Rose says with an eye roll as if that's the most obvious thing in the world.

"So you came to help us?" Henry asks happily of his sister. With a sigh the older girl nods her head.

"Someone has to keep you two out of trouble." She says resignedly.

"Okay now that we have that settled what's this about Regina?" Emma says her head still reeling.

"She hates Snow White. Hey, you wanted a motive." Henry says with a shrug of his shoulders, as Emma sighs.

"Henry this storybook thing is getting really old. You and Ally are going to get into something soon that you won't be able to get out of." Rose says warningly.

"Just help us." Ally butts in with a pleading look at the older girl.

"Well, I don't think 'she hates Snow White' will hold up in a court, Henry." Emma says. With that the four of them move into Mary Margaret's room. After searching every nook and cranny Emma flops down onto the bed with a disappointed sigh.

"I don't know whether to be disappointed that we didn't find something or glad that we didn't." Emma says rubbing her eyes.

"I still can't picture Miss Blanchard doing something like that. She was my favorite teacher. She was always so nice everyone." Rose says placing down the picture frame she was looking at which was the old class picture of her class.

Suddenly there's a loud rumbling sound in the room, and hey all look at each other confusedly. Emma gets up form the bed and goes over to the air vent. "It's the heating system." She explains. She pops the grate and reaches her hand inside. Ally watches as a grown falls onto Emma's face as she pulls out a cloth-covered object.

"What is it?" Henry asks trying to see what's in it. Emma doesn't respond. She quickly covers it up with her jacket, but not before they catch the gleam of silver.

"Nothing. Come on kids. I'm going to drop you back off and Granny's." Emma tells them.

"Well if the adventure part of the day is over, then I think I'm going to go and meet up with my friends…" Rose trails off giving the two kids a warning look.

"Don't make me regret letting you two on your own." She says. Henry and Ally both flash her innocent looks batting their eyelashes at her.

Rose makes a face and gives Emma a worried look. "That doesn't reassure me at all." With that the fourteen-year-old disappears out of the apartment again. Emma rolls her eyes at the grinning kids and claps her hands.

"Okay move it…"

* * *

After Emma had dropped Ally and Henry off at Granny's again the pair sit in their normal seats sipping on hot chocolate whispering theories about how the Evil Queen had managed to set up Snow White so easily in this world where she is limited. The bell over the door rings, and the kids are shocked when the leather wearing author motorcyclist sits down next to Henry.

Ally eyes him warily while Henry looks a little more curious.

"I don't think that hot chocolate's going to drink itself. You're upset about your teacher, aren't ya?" He says conversationally looking at the two barely touched cups.

"She didn't do it? Why can't anyone see that?" Henry asks him miserably.

"She literally wouldn't hurt a fly." Ally adds with a pout.

"Because most people just see what's right in front of them. And I don't think you're going to find the answers you want at the bottom of that mug." August says with a knowing look.

"Then where?" Ally questions.

"That a book in your bag? You know I'm a writer. So, I'm partial to finding my answers in the literary form." He says gesturing to Henry's backpack.

"It's just a book." Henry denies quickly flashing a panicked look at Ally.

"Is it?"

"Yeah." Ally cuts in with a hard look.

"I think the three of us know that's not the case. Can I get a water please?" August says to us then to Gigi as she passes in front of us.

"What do you know about it?" Henry asks him suspiciously, starting to grow wary.

"I know it's a book of stories." August says.

"Aren't all books?" Ally challenges.

"Stories… that really happened." August says lowering his voice to the kids. Ally and Henry share a quick look.

"You think my book is real?" Henry questions.

"Yeah you sound a little crazy there mister." Ally says widening her eyes. August chuckles at her.

"As real as I am." He responds.

"How do you know?" Henry demands.

"Well, let's just say that, uh, I'm a believer. And I want to help others see the light. That, my friend, is why I'm here." He says.

"But we already believe." Henry says confusedly. August chuckles at that.

"I'm not here for you two buddy. I'm here for Emma."

"So, you want to get her to believe? Why don't you just tell her?" Ally asks.

"Well, there are some people – like us three – we can go on faith. But others – like Emma – they need proof." August explains.

Henry and Ally nod their heads slowly.

"Last time I tried to find proof, we got trapped in a sinkhole, and Ally got hurt." Henry says.

"I said it wasn't you fault didn't I?" Ally tells him somewhat exasperated.

"There are less dangerous places to look." August says tapping the cover of the book. Henry and Ally exchange a look and open up the pages of the book again to pour over the fairytales that are linked to their past.

* * *

"This is a bad idea Henry." Ally hisses. She and Henry are sneaking past the secretary typing away furiously on the computer in front of her.

"You thought that it was a good plan when I first brought it up." Henry whispers furiously back at her.

"Well that's when I thought that we weren't going to be sneaking into your mom's office in broad daylight." She returns.

"Come on Wolfpup this is our official mission." Henry says closing the door behind them quietly.

"You're just lucky that she's in a meeting right not Nightwing or this would be a really bad day." Ally grumbles.

Henry pads quickly over to her desk, as Ally stands near the door so that she can be lookout in case someone is going to come into the office. Henry jerks open drawer after drawer starting to panic when he doesn't find the keys right away.

"Hurry up! The book never said that it was a good idea to take forever looking for them." Ally urges him.

"There's just one drawer left." Henry says. The drawer sticks for a moment, and he gives it a sharp tug finally managing to pry it open with a loud groan. Both kids freeze, their hearts in their throats. Somebody must have heard that. Ally presses her ear against the door as the sound of typing on the other side stops for a second, before starting right back up again.

"We're good." Ally says with a thumbs up. Henry ducks back behind the desk again, and roots around in the drawer before pumping his fist in the air. Ally watches as her produces a giant ring of keys. She grins at him, as he closes the drawer, and makes his way back over to her, trying not to rattle the keys.

"How are we going to get out?" Henry asks worriedly. Ally groans softly.

"You didn't think of an escape plan?" She demands. Henry smiles sheepishly at her and she sighs. Ally quickly hurries back over the mayor's desk, and punches in a number. Henry quirks up his eyebrow wondering what exactly she is doing.

Suddenly the secretary's phone rings on the other side of the door. Henry watches in awe as she picks up. "Yes hello, is this Matilda White?" Ally asks evening out her voice and deepening it a little to make herself sound older.

"It is." The secretary says on the other side of the door.

"It's Janice from accounting. I was just on my lunch break when I walked by your car, white sedan correct?" Ally questions.

"Yes…" The secretary responds.

"Well I'm sorry to say that your car has a huge scratch on it. I don't know who did it, but it looks bad." Ally emphasizes, and Henry stifles a giggle when he hears the woman's horrified gasp.

"Oh my god! Not my baby!" She cries. Ally looks down at the phone and hangs up, and Henry finally lets his laugh go as he hears the secretary run away frightened for her car.

"That was epic Ally! We're going to have to do that more often." Henry says slapping her hand as they slip out of the office unnoticed.

"Yeah well lets focus on escaping before we congratulate me too much." Ally murmurs, and the pair skip out onto the sidewalk in front of town hall unscathed.

"What did I say full proof!" Henry exclaims, but shudders when Ally glares at him.

"I saved our butts in there! We would have been in so much trouble, and Miss Blanchard would have suffered for it." She growls. Henry sighs and nods his head.

"Okay I should have planned better, but we got the keys. Now all we have to do is wait for Emma. Come on." He says and the two set off back to the apartment.

* * *

It takes a while but eventually Emma appears on the stairs in front of Miss Blanchard's apartment where Henry and Ally are sitting.

"We have proof." Henry says holding up the giant key ring that as keys for every door in Storybrooke.

"This is how my mom got into your apartment. This is how she framed Miss Blanchard." Henry says confidently, while Ally nods along.

"Did you two steal these from her office?" Emma asks her eyes widening. She's not sure which to address first the fact that Henry and Ally stole the keys or that Regina had a giant ring of keys to who knows where.

"Yeah. The book said that they could open any door." Ally defends their actions. Emma sighs.

"There's no way they'll even fit in the lock." Emma says trying to keep what's left of her sanity in tack.

"We have to try." Henry says trying the first key in the lock. Ally holds her breath, but is disappointed when it doesn't turn.

"See? What did I tell you? Come on, Henry, Ally. I know you want to think the answer to everything is in Operation Cobra…" Emma says with a tired look on her face.

"It is!" Henry cries.

"But, sometimes the real world needs to come first." Emma says stubbornly.

"Just try one more. Please." Ally butts in trying to distract the two from their potential fight. Emma looks down at the pleading face, and groans when her will to resist is taken down by cute puppy dog eyes.

"Okay, one more. But then we're done." She says seriously. Henry and Ally break out into big smiles.

"You do it… this one." Henry says picking a key and handing it to Emma. She sighs and approached the door fitting the key into the lock.

They all watch as the door clicks and swings open. Emma looks absolutely floored.

"Now do you believe us?" Henry asks with a smug grin. He and Ally high five, and Emma is speechless about what she just witnessed.

"Come on kids. I'll take you home. I think you've done enough for one night…" Emma says nudging the kids down the stairs in front of her. Henry and Ally share conspiratorial grins. They did good today.


	12. The End of the Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Just Ally and Rose.

* * *

12- The End of the Beginning

After the exoneration of Mary Margaret things started spiraling out of control rapidly. A new story showed up in the Fairytale book about Pinocchio even though Emma didn't believe the kids, and Rose didn't either. Rose just left it at Pinocchio being in all the fairytale books and we had just looked over it before. Ally couldn't understand how dumb people were being because she had read through every page of that book for months and Henry even more so, and both of them had never seen anything about Pinocchio in there before.

Henry's mom the Evil Queen who framed Snow White for the not murder of Katherine Nolan tried to move Henry out of Miss Blanchard's class, luckily it didn't work out because they lived in a small enough town that there weren't enough kids to warrant another teacher.

That's how Henry and Ally found themselves alongside August lurking across the street from Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. Operation Cobra was back in full swing and personally Ally and Henry couldn't wait for it all to finally be over with. They could get the happy ending they've been wanting and finally be done with it all.

"It's almost nine. You all set? You know what to do?" August says once again turning to the two friends with a serious look on his face.

Ally nods solemnly but Henry looks a little more hesitant.

"Operation Cobra is always ready. I just…" Henry trails off nervously glancing back at the pawnshop. Ally reaches out her hand and quickly squeezes Henry's.

"You just what?" August prods glancing at the shop as well before settling his gaze on Henry.

"I don't understand what this has to do with getting Emma to believe." Henry says. Ally blinks seriously thinking it over.

"Sometimes, other priorities assert themselves. Can you handle a little improvisation?" August prods. Henry straightens up and nods his head.

"Yeah. Can you?" Ally fires back.

"We're a go." August says firmly. Not giving themselves a second chance to look back Ally and Henry race across the street and push open the door to Mr. Gold's shop. Ally has to suppress a shiver once she's inside. Not only does the man himself creep her out when he's around town, but his entire shop just radiates something powerful and dark that Ally can't explain that makes her hair stand up.

"Hey, Mr. Gold." Henry says greeting the broker behind the counter. Ally just raises her hand in a wave.

"Good morning Henry, Ally. What can I do for you?" Mr. Gold asks leaning forward to get a better look at the two kids. Ally focuses her eyes on the multitude of stuff littered around the room.

"We want to get a gift for Miss Blanchard." Ally says quickly, remembering that she has a part to play in this whole gimmick as well.

"Oh, I see." Mr. Gold says.

"Since, she didn't kill that woman." Henry adds happily. Ally really had to give it to Henry he really was a great actor.

"Good thinking." Mr. Gold say with a nod. Henry and Ally wander around the shop naturally falling into light banter with each other about what to actually get Miss Blanchard. They couldn't afford something big like the cuckoo clock, but they didn't want to get her something as lame as a book. The pair come to a stop by a display of small silver bells.

"Are these bells? Cool." Henry says picking up one of the smaller delicate ones.

"She might like that." Ally adds peering closely at the bell.

"See anything you fancy?" Mr. Gold asks suddenly appearing beside the kids. Ally jumps startled, while Henry starts haggling on the price with Mr. Gold.

After getting a cheaper price after some haggling with Mr. Gold the two kids leave the store, hoping that they managed to buy August enough time to get what he was looking for.

"I hope he knows what he's doing. Messing with Mr. Gold isn't smart." Ally says glancing back at the shop with a shiver.

"August is the only adult who believes in the book and Operation Cobra truly. We need to trust that he'll be okay." Henry says as the two make their way back to their secret base so they can prepare their gift for Miss Blanchard.

That night is the welcome back party for Mary Margaret. Her and Emma's apartment are filled with people from Storybrooke all except the Mayor of course. Emma is talking quietly with the teacher by the punch bowl. If anything Ally thinks that her teacher looks more overwhelmed if anything. She watches as her Granny goes and welcomes Mary Margaret back.

Henry suddenly grabs Ally's hand and drags her to the other side of the room so that the two of them can talk to August who is leaning against the wall there. The kids watch the man as he watches Mr. Gold from afar.

"How bad was it?" Ally asks already knowing that it must have ended badly.

"Getting caught in his office? Not bad. I played it off." August says dismissively.

"What were you looking for? Did you find it?" Henry asks, excitement practically vibrating off him.

"Nope. But I have a feeling that it's going to find me." August says scanning the crowd. "There she is. Why don't you give her your present?" He gestures in the direction of Miss Blanchard.

Henry nods his head and the pair starts off for Mary Margaret and Emma.

"We got this for you." Henry says handing the small box and large card to Miss Blanchard.

"Well, thank you." Miss Blanchard says smiling at the two kids. Emma is also smiling at the pair. Slowly the teacher open the card and shakes her head in bewilderment at it.

"We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan…" She reads.

"It's from the whole class, and Henry and I got you the bell." Ally explains flushing a little. Mary Margaret pulls the small bell out of the box and smiles at the two kids.

"Thank you both. Tell the class that I'll be back soon." She says giving both Henry and Ally hugs. The two smile at her finally happy to get their old teacher back and get rid of the stinky substitute that they've been saddled with.

"Okay." They say. Emma glances at her watch and then at the two kids.

"Hey, Henry, we should get you home before you mom finds out. That won't be pretty. You can come along Ally." Emma says ushering the kids to the door of the party.

Before they can leave though David Nolan stops them at the door.

"Hey Henry, Ally. Going home early?" He asks the two kids.

"Yeah. Got to go home and do homework." Henry says with a disgusted look.

"Math." Ally says sticking her tongue out.

"She's kind of tired. I think if you just give her some time…" Emma starts.

"I just wanted to—" David is cut off.

"Hey, Henry, Ally. Why don't you go home with David?" Emma says still giving the man a hard look. Ally sighs realizing the adults are using them again, and rolls her eyes.

"Okay." Henry says.

"Fine by me." Ally agrees.

"Sorry." Emma says kind of to everyone.

"Okay." David says with a sigh leading the pair of kids outside the apartment and down the stairs.

"You two don't really have homework do you." He says glancing at them.

"Why would I lie about math?" Ally demands giving David a wild look.

"Don't get her started." Henry says giving his best friend a small push.

* * *

Things had grown hectic over the last few days. The adults had been so busy with their own problems that they had left the kids with a significant lack of supervision. That's what leads to Henry and Ally laid out on Rose's bed as the teenager prepares to go out with her friends.

The storybook is open in front of the ten-year-olds and Rose keeps casting suspicious glances at the book.

"So… any life altering stories in there today?" Rose asks nonchalantly trying to seem disinterested in the book.

"Something's not right…" Ally mutters flipping a few pages in the book.

"We lost the book for a while, but now we have it back, and there's now a new story in there!" Henry says excitedly glancing at his older sister excitedly. Rose sets down her hairbrush on her dresser and crosses the room to the two kids.

She moves the book around so that she can see it.

"Pinocchio? I thought that all books had this story in it?" Rose says. Ally shakes her head.

"Not the way this one goes." She says solemnly.

"This book didn't have a story dedicated to Pinocchio directly before. When we got the book back it was like the section was added. We have to let Emma know." Henry says with a nod.

Rose bites her lower lip giving the book a cursory look over. If everything that the kids were spouting was true then that means that everyone in the town were fairytale characters including her. That would also mean that the woman she believes to be her mother is actually an Evil Queen who took her from her real family, whoever they were.

If any of what they say is true then both of them would be in a lot of danger, and no matter how annoying she may find them on some days, Henry was still her little brother, and Ally the closest thing to a little sister.

"Just— be careful you two. I don't want anything bad happening to the pair of you. If you need help, my phone will be on okay?" Rose says finally staring hard at the two kids until they nod their heads in understanding.

"Good. Now get out of my room. I have to get changed." She says shooing the kids out and closing the door firmly behind her. Rose sighs, hoping that she's not making a big mistake by letting the pair of them go on their own.

* * *

The next day before school Henry calls Emma over the walkie-talkie's citing an Operation Cobra emergency. Henry and Ally sit in their favorite booth at Granny's diner waiting for Emma to show up. A minute later Emma comes into the diner and slides into the booth across from the kids.

"Hey. What's the emergency?" Emma asks.

"Shh! This is sensitive!" Henry hisses glancing around the half filled diner.

"If it's sensitive, then why are we at Granny's, out in the open?" Emma questions.

"We're hungry. Who else knows that we hide the book at the Sheriff's station?" Ally asks interrupting the bickering that is sure to come up between Emma and Henry.

"No one. Why?" Emma asks confused as to where this is going.

"Someone changed it. There's a new story in it." Henry says half upset and half excited.

"Why would someone add a new story?" Emma wonders looking confused.

"Why not add a new story?" Ally counters.

"Duh, to tell us something we need to know about the curse." Henry says glaring at the other two.

"And what would that be?" Emma says sounding less than convinced.

"We don't know. The story isn't finished." Ally says glaring at the table like it offended her personally.

"Why would someone go to so much trouble to add another story, then not finish it?' Emma asks.

"That's what's weird. The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that story ends." Henry says with a frown.

"Well maybe that's why it was left out." Emma says shaking her head.

"Or, maybe there's more to it." Henry says with a gleam in his eye.

"Henry, Ally, you're going to be late for school. Let's go." Emma says sliding out of the booth and gesturing for both kids to do the same.

Ally hates that Emma is always so easily willing to dismiss all the new ideas that they've come up with. She peeks up and sees her mom emerge from the back. Quickly, she scrambles over to give her a hug. Ruby smiles down at her girl, and gives her a kiss to the top of her head.

"I've got them today Ruby. No need to worry." Emma calls out from the door gesturing for Ally.

"Thanks Emma. Be good Pup." Ruby says, and Ally smiles before scampering off after the rest of Operation Cobra.

The walk to school is filled with Henry battering Emma trying to get her to believe that the story of Pinocchio is not some useless lead that they've come across. Once they arrive at school there is the usual morning chatter and kids running around the playground.

Henry and Ally stay closer to Emma though, happy to see that Miss Blanchard is back at school. They had had enough of their substitute teacher to last a long time.

A few minutes later the kids notice that Regina, Henry's mother is talking to Miss Blanchard. Concerned the two make their way over to their teacher.

"There's Henry now." says Miss Blanchard looking relieved that the kids interrupted that conversation.

Miss Blanchard leaves leaving the kids alone with Regina.

"What are you doing?" Henry asks his mother.

"You forgot your lunchbox." Regina says holding out the box.

"Thanks?" Henry says taking the box looking even more confused.

"Hi Miss Mills." Ally pipes up trying to save her friend.

"Good morning Ally. Henry, it's time for a change. I think it's time to transfer you to a new class with a new teacher." Regina says shocking both the kids.

"Why?" Ally sputters.

"Why do you want me out of Miss Blanchard's class, away from Ally? Is it because you framed Miss Blanchard?" Henry grinds out, his anger beginning to get the better of him.

"Henry! Do you really believe me capable of something that horrible?" Regina says a hurt look flashing across her face. There's something about the look though, that looks phony.

"Of course. You're the Evil Queen." Henry says simply. Ally decides to keep quiet and let the family play this out themselves.

"Enough those Fairy Tales aren't real. Miss Blanchard should have never given you that book. She should be grateful that I'm not trying to get her fired." Regina growls.

"Go ahead and try. It won't work. Snow White will have her happy ending. She and Prince Charming will be together. The curse will end. Good will win, and I'm not transferring classes." Henry says grabbing Ally's hand and pulling her away from his mother.

"Henry… are you okay?" Ally asks softly. Henry glances at her, and sees the worry in his best friend's eyes. Ally really has always been there for him.

"No. This needs to end. We're breaking the curse one way or another. That way we can both get back the mother's we deserve." Henry says firmly. Ally smiles at Henry and wraps her arms around him in a quick hug. She only hopes that it will be that easy.

* * *

Ally had thought that everything was going to be okay. She and Henry were going to help Emma break the curse and everything was going to get back to the way that it was supposed to be. She should have known better. Good things like that never happen to Ally. Her life is always going to stay the way it always has.

Her mom is going to go back to feeling trapped in this town, and that's going to start up the fighting with Granny. They will fight over her Ally knows it. She'll be stuck in the house with nowhere else to go, and no one to talk to. She won't even have Henry anymore.

Ally had woken up in the middle of the night to her walkie-talkie going off. Ally could tell that she wasn't meant to hear what was going on.

"Code Red. Code Red. Henry?" Emma's voice had crackled.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Henry's sleepy voice had replied.

"I need to talk to you." Emma had said.

"About Operation Cobra?" Henry had asked.

"No, about us. Meet me outside." Emma had said.

There was nothing more after that. Ally had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach though. She just knew that Henry was gone. That Emma had taken him. That meant that Ally was all alone again, and this time it wasn't going to change.

The fact that Henry hadn't even said goodbye hit her the hardest. So Ally had curled up into a ball in her bed and sobbed into her pillow, cursing the fact that the Evil Queen was winning in her own twisted way, ruining Ally's life. At least Henry would be happy… at least he had his mom.

* * *

Ally was miserable. That much anyone could see. Both Granny and Ruby were at a loss of what to do. The pair had decided to keep Ally home from school that day. It wouldn't do the girl any good, and they wanted to keep a close eye on her. Ally had her head on the counter of Granny's diner and was sadly staring out the door of the shop, hoping that Henry or even Emma would come walking through the door.

All she wanted was for her family to be happy, that seemed like such a small wish, but in the end it turned out to be insurmountable. Now the only good thing she had going in her life was gone. Henry was gone. Ally wasn't sure how she was going to go on without her. It seemed like no one had noticed that he was gone yet either.

As soon as Regina found out though, the whole town would know, and there would be hell to pay. Ally was sure of that. Ruby passed by her hurting child, and ran her hand through Ally's hair hoping to comfort her daughter.

Ally didn't even move, and Ruby sighs. This was worse than she thought. A few minutes later or it could have been hours for all that Ally knew, the door to the diner opened and a familiar figure stepped through. Ally thought that she was seeing an illusion, because there was no reason why Henry should be standing in the diner at this moment.

"Ally." Great now the illusion sounds like Henry as well.

"Ally?" Henry says again giving her a worried look.

"H-Henry?" Ally says timidly not sure if she should be indulging in this illusion.

"Why are you crying? Are you okay?" Henry asks concerned. He climbs onto the stool next to her, and puts his hand on hers. At the touch of his hand on hers Ally jolts up from the table.

"Henry!" Ally cries laughing forward and wrapping her best friend in an iron grip.

"A-Ally… c-can't breathe…" Henry gasps, and Ally lets go, giving him a watery smile.

"I-I thought that you were gone." Ally admits. Henry sighs and glances around at the grownups around them.

"Not here. Come on." Henry says. Ally gets out of the stool to follow him, and glances back at her mom worriedly. Ruby looks up from her customer to see Ally and Henry together holding hands. Relieved she nods her head, allowing the kids to leave. At least she won't be crying anymore hopefully.

Henry pulls Ally out of the diner and they start down the street. "Emma did take me. We almost made it out of Storybrooke but I may have crashed the car. She can't leave. We both can't leave. The people here need us, and I can't leave you. I made a promise." Henry says smiling at Ally.

Ally lets out a relieved smile as well. Henry would never leave her, even if his real mom wanted to take him away. That relieved her, but worried her as well. She wanted Henry to have what he always deserved.

"Where are we going?" Ally questions worriedly following behind Henry.

"To August. We need help to convince Emma to stay." Henry says, turning into the inn. Ally nods her head leads Henry into her inn/house and up the stairs to where the guest rooms are.

Once at the door Henry knocks.

"Hold on." August grunts out from the other side. When August answers the door, Henry pushes into the room and Ally follows in behind him.

"August, please. I need your help. Emma wants to leave." Henry says desperately.

"What? Slow down." August says trying to keep up with the frantic boy.

"Y-You were going to make her believe. You have to." Henry says.

"I know Henry. I'm sorry… I failed." August admits with a sigh of defeat.

"Failed?" Ally says not liking the sound of that.

"I tried to show her. At first it was my legs, and now… take a look, at the unvarnished truth." August says pulling back a sleeve of his shirt.

Where skin should be is wood. His arm is made out of wood.

"It's wood." Henry says.

"Yes." August sighs. Henry and Ally blink at each other confirming that they both saw the same thing.

"All of this… I was right— we were right. The curse… is real." Henry breathes. Ally almost can't believe the proof that she's seeing in front of her.

"You're both smart kids." August says with a pained smile.

"And you're Pinocchio." Ally says almost fascinated.

"What gave it away?" August says with a grimace.

"But, why are you turning back into wood? Your story… you should be real." Henry says confused.

"I'm changing back because… I haven't exactly been a good boy. And… well… if the curse doesn't break… this doesn't stop." August explains.

"So, we show Emma you're turning back into the puppet you were, and then, she has to believe." Henry says.

"And when she does, she can break the curse." Ally says excitedly.

"I tried that. She doesn't want to see so she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I-I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride, and it's hard to walk. Soon, it's going to be hard to breathe." August grimaces. Ally winces in sympathy and reaches out to hold his wooden hand. August gives her a sad smile, and she returns it.

"So, we have to do something fast." Henry says resolvedly.

"There's nothing to do. And with what little time I have left, I want to spend with my father." August says sadly.

"Marco." Ally says just as sadly.

"Told you, you guys were smart." August says.

"So, everyone's given up." Henry says with a frown.

"I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry but I'm out of Operation Cobra kids. It's up to you two now." August says sadly seeing Henry and Ally to the door. Once in the hallways Ally and Henry share an anguished look. This isn't looking good for them.

* * *

Henry and Ally mope around the fort that they have near where their old castle used to be for a few hours.

"This is getting us no where. Since when have you ever given up on a fight?" Ally demands looking at her best friend determinedly.

Henry lifts his head up from his hands, and Ally can tell that he's been crying.

"What's the point anymore Ally. Emma's going to leave, and everything's going to go back to being as it was. We'll have done all of this for nothing." Henry says.

Ally shakes her head at her friend's pessimism.

"Come on Henry. You're Emma's son. She'll listen to you. After a while all mother's listen, sometimes they just need a— nudge." Ally says. Henry stares at his best friend for a second before nodding.

"Okay… yeah— you're right. We're not done yet. We still have a chance! Come on, let's go!" Henry cries. The two kids start running back to town.

"This year… I'm asking… for a bike… for Christmas…" Ally huffs getting tired of running everywhere.

"Agreed." Henry puffs.

A few minutes later the two kids show up on Mary Margaret's doorstep. Henry pounds on the door, hoping that they weren't too late.

Emma opens the door, and there's a weird look on her face. She holds the door open and lets the two kids in. She has since stopped worrying about the closeness of the two friends.

"Hey Emma, are you okay? You don't look so good." Henry says concerned.

"Oh, um… No, I'm okay. Just, um… Yesterday, when I tried to take you away, you were right. I can't take you out of Storybrooke. But I can't stay either." Emma struggles saying.

"What?" Henry says looking heartbroken. Ally can't quite believe what she's hearing either.

"I have to go." Emma says looking sick as she says so.

"Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?" Henry says shakily.

"Yeah. I spoke to Regina, and we made a deal. I'm still going to be able to see you, just not… Every day." Emma explains.

"No! No, you can't trust her!" Henry cries.

"I have to. It's my only choice. It's what's best for you, Henry. Every time I fight her, someone else gets hurt." Emma says beginning to sound desperate.

"No, no, no! You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back." Henry says.

"Henry! This isn't a story. This is reality. And things have to change. You can't skip school, you can't run away, and… You can't believe in curses." Emma says.

"Y-you really don't believe?" Henry says softly, and both kids feel their hearts plummet.

"I… This is how it has to be right now. I made a deal, and I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you." Emma says trying to make Henry feel better. Ally shakes her head at this.

"Yes, but she wants you dead." Ally finally breaks in. This is ridiculous. Emma sighs.

"Come on, guys!" She cries.

"You're the only one that can stop her. Not us!" Henry says.

"Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you. It just… Got out of hand. I'm sorry." Emma apologizes. Henry tackles Emma in a hug, and Ally watches on sadly.

Suddenly Henry stiffens in Emma's grasp.

"Where did you get that?" Henry demands. Ally glances over at the counter and see a turnover in a container.

"Regina gave that to me." Emma says. Henry and Ally exchange a shocked look.

"Apple!" They both exclaim at the same time.

"So?" Emma questions.

"You can't eat that. It's poison." Ally explains almost rolling her eyes at the dumbness of that question.

"What?" Emma sputters.

"Don't you see? The deal… it was a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the savior!" Henry exclaims.

"Henry, come on. Why would she do that when I just told her I was going to go?" Emma asks exasperatedly.

"Because as long as you're alive you're a threat to the curse." Henry says.

"Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this." Emma cries.

"But it's true!" Ally argues. Emma rubs at her forehead.

"It is the truth, and you leaving isn't going to change that." Henry agrees with Ally.

Emma grabs the apple turnover.

"I'll prove it to you." She says raising the turnover to her.

"No!" Henry cries snatching it out of Emma's hand. Ally looks on worriedly. This is not going well at all.

"Henry… what are you doing?" Ally asks nervously. This wasn't a part of the plan.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse… Or in me. But I believe in you." Henry says, before taking a bite of the turnover. Ally pales, and watches her friend, as nothing happens for a second.

"See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about…" Emma says but is cut off.

Henry collapses to the ground. Ally drops down to her knees next to him.

"Henry?" She asks worried.

"Henry… Henry! Henry!" Emma cries dropping to her knees on his other side when Henry doesn't respond.

Ally raises her tear stained face to Emma.

"Do you believe now?" She cries.

* * *

Ally feels like she is officially living in a living nightmare. She's following along behind Emma, Dr. Whale, and some nurses as they wheel Henry into the hospital. Emma hadn't been able to get Ally to go home earlier so now she was stuck with the girl as a tag along, a very loyal one at that.

They get him into a room, and Emma starts to freak out.

"Henry, can you hear me? Come on, Henry. Wake up, please. Come on, Henry. Come on. You can do it." Emma says smoothing down the hair on his head. Ally bites down on her lower trembling lip as she watches on. This wasn't how the plan was supposed to go. Ally can't protect Henry from this. Why did he have to do that?

Why couldn't he just let her protect him, and not do anything idiotic?

"Ma'am let me take you—" A nurse tries to pry Emma away but it doesn't work.

"No, I'm not going anywhere!" Emma cries.

"There's no pupil response. What happened? Did he fall? Hit his head?" Dr. Whale asks. Ally suddenly remembers the bag she's carrying.

"He ate this. It's poisoned." Ally says holding up the apple turnover in the baggie. Emma cuts a look to Ally with the rest of the adults.

"We think it's poisoned." Emma corrects.

"His airway's clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsions? Disorientation?" Dr. Whale questions.

"He took a bite of that, and then he just collapsed. So, run the test for arsenic, or bleach, or Drano, or whatever could've done this to him!" Emma growls.

"The boy is showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins. So, whatever's going on, this is not the culprit." Dr. Whale disagrees.

"Well, what else could it be?" Emma hisses.

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out." Dr. Whale shoots back. Ally can't believe that the adults aren't getting what's right in front of them. She's never met people this stubborn before. It's the poisoned apple in this turnover!

"He's going to be okay though, right?" Emma says sounding very scared.

"Right now, we just need to stabilize him, cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember? Any little detail?" The doctor presses.

"I already told you everything! Do something!" Emma shouts. Ally takes a step closer to Henry, and freezes at how pale he's become. Some part of her deep down is revolting against the sight. Its strong and primal, and most important wounded. Ally can't stand seeing Henry in this position, and she doesn't understand the feeling deep inside— it's like she needs to slash— kill— get these people as far away from her injured friend as possible.

Ally clutches her stomach and backs a step away. Okay that is definitely not normal.

"Look, I understand you're frustrated, Miss Swan, I do. But I need something to treat. And, right now, there is no explanation. It's like…" Dr. Whale trails off.

Emma dumps out Henry's backpack on a table and the storybook falls to the table.

"Magic." Emma breathes. Ally shoots her eyes over to her. Could it be, could Emma actually believe? Emma looks like she's seeing something very far away, but Ally takes that as a good sign.

Suddenly a panicked Regina comes bursting into the room.

"Where's my son!" She cries. Emma snaps out of her trance, and glares at Regina.

"You did this!" She shouts. Ally takes a step away from the two women and closer to Henry.

Emma grabs Regina and drags her away to a storage room. It's silent for the first time. Ally turns back to look at Henry, and grimaces and it looks like he's sleeping. Something like a whine breaks from her chest, and Ally startles. This is definitely beginning to freak her out.

Dr. Whale looks at the two kids worriedly. "We'll do everything for him Ally." He says. Ally nods her head, but she's not so sure that she believes him.

This wasn't how this day was supposed to end.

Emma and Regina don't return to the room for a good hour or so, and when they do, there is a sort of solemn air about them. Ally jumps to her feet from the chair she's been sitting in.

"You believe don't you." She says before either of the adults can speak. Regina glares at Ally, but the girl focuses on Emma.

"Yes… I'm just sorry that it took this for it to happen." Emma says remorsefully. Ally glares at Henry's blond mother.

"Save him. Don't apologize." Ally growls, and she pushes past the two women, giving them a moment with their son. Ally doesn't know what's going on with her, but her protective instincts are acting up like crazy.

A few minutes later both women leave the room, and Ally goes back inside. She gets back in the chair and curls up by her best friend's bedside. If the roles were reversed Henry would do the same for her. Ally's sure of it.

A while later there's a knock on the door, and Ally's head shoots up to see Mary Margaret comes into the room. "Hey Ally. I was wondering if I could sit with you and Henry. Is that okay?" She asks softly. Ally nods her head, feeling like if she opens her mouth that she's going to sob.

Mary Margaret gives the girl a sad smile and pulls up another chair next to her at Henry's bedside, and grabs the book of fairy tales.

"I think we should read him his favorite story, shouldn't we?" She asks softly. Ally cracks a tiny smile, and nods turning her gaze back to Henry as their teacher starts reading the story of Snow White and Prince Charming.

"And, yes, she was beyond hope. Beyond saving. This was her end. When Prince Charming saw his beloved Snow White in her glass coffin, he knew all that was left was to say goodbye. He had to give her one last kiss. And when he did, true love proved more powerful than any curse. A pulse of pure love shuddered out and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness." Mary Margaret reads.

"Henry… When I gave you this book, it was because I knew… I know life doesn't always have a happy end. But I thought…" Mary Margaret chokes, her voice husky.

Suddenly the machines and monitors around Henry start beeping frantically and angrily. Ally and Miss Blanchard jump to their feet looking at Henry frantically.

"What's going on?" Ally shouts, panic beginning to flood through her.

"What is it? Dr. Whale?" Mary Margaret calls frantically.

Dr. Whale and some nurses run frantically into the room.

"Nurse! Get them out of here now!" Dr. Whale yells.

"What is it? What is it?" Ally cries.

"His heart is failing." Dr. Whale replies tersely. Ally's face pales, and her blood runs cold. No, no, this can't be happening! Not Henry! Henry!

She and Mary Margaret are shuffled out of the room and into the hallway.

* * *

Ally couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. It had to be wrong. It just couldn't be possible. Henry couldn't be gone. That was wrong. Someone like Henry just couldn't be suddenly gone. Every fiber of Ally's body rejected that very idea. There was no way that Henry Mills was dead. Even if she was staring at his body in front of her. It probably wasn't right for the adults to just leave her in here alone with Henry, but they didn't seem to care anymore.

Ally could tell the exact moment that Emma and Regina came back in, by the heartbreaking sobs that sounded. Ally couldn't tear her eyes away from Henry though. Her best friend was dead. There was nothing in the world that could make that right, nothing in the world to make her not hate Regina with all her might.

That horrible twisted feeling in her stomach roars to life again. Its like all the molecules in Ally's body are vibrating, trying to break free. Henry wouldn't want that though. As much as he might hate Regina she's still his mother and that counts for a lot.

Now Rose is here as well, crying. She can't bear to go closer to him, unlike Emma. Rose has wrapped her arms around Ally, trying to keep both of them together, because now it's just the two of them not three. There's no more three amigos, or two little twerps annoying her.

"No… no…" Regina says in the doorway of the room shaking her head in disbelief.

Emma is right next to Henry smoothing down the hair on his head, and tears are running down her cheeks.

"I love you Henry." She says, and with that she leans down and kisses his forehead. Suddenly a pulse of magic rushes out from the pair and rushes out to the town. Ally and Rose stagger back a step at the power of it, and Rose tightens her grip on the younger girl.

Suddenly Henry gasps, and sits upright in his bed. Ally can't believe her eyes. Henry's alive! He's awake and alive, and everything's going to be fine!

"I love you too. You saved me." Henry says looking up at Emma with love in his eyes.

"You did it." Regina says sounding like she almost can't believe it. Slowly a crowd starts to gather in Henry's room. Ally has a suspicion about what just happened.

"Henry… what's going on?" Emma asks looking at the growing crowd.

"No…" Regina says looking around with wide worried eyes.

"The curse." Ally says suddenly. Henry glances at his best friend and sister, and his smile grows in size.

"I think you broke it." Henry says to Emma his smile the biggest its been in a long time.

"That was true love's kiss." Mother Superior says from her place in the room.

"No… no… no." Regina chants looking even worse.

"If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide." Mother Superior says again this time with a hard look in her eye. Rose glances worriedly at the woman who has been her mother for so long, but can't help but feel that she's gotten what's coming to her.

"Henry, Rose, … No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you." Regina says her voice breaking. With that she turns and runs out of the room.

After a few minutes of silence Emma finally breaks it. Ally and Rose run over to Henry and tackle him with hugs.

"Henry, Ally… what's going on here? If the curse is broken why didn't they go back?" Emma asks the kids confused. Ally freezes. Huh, she hadn't thought about that.

"I-I don't know." Henry says beginning to look worried himself. A nurse drops a tray staring horrified out he window. Emma turns and pales herself.

"What's going on?" Rose asks worriedly.

"What is that?" Emma mutters. A huge dangerous billowing purple cloud is descending over Storybrooke.

"Something bad." Henry says.

"Mom! Granny!" Ally cries trying to get up to get to them, but Henry grabs Ally so she can't go anywhere. Nothing looks safe anymore in Storybrooke.

The End

(For now…)


	13. Broken

Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time is not mine. Never will be. Only Ally is mine.

* * *

01-Broken

When last in the small not so sleepy after all town of Storybrooke, Maine there was a great deal of drama. A boy was poisoned and survived, a savior discovered the truth of the world around her, hundreds of people got their rightful memories restored, and a billowing purple cloud had descended over the town leaving no nook or cranny uncovered.

Luckily for the inhabitants of Storybrooke, the purple fog was not hazardous to the touch, and merely left everyone unharmed. Of course that did little to nothing to quell the panic in the hospital room of Henry Mills. Emma Swan, Henry's biological Mom and the savior of fairytale people everywhere was pale, and looked more than a little shell shocked at everything that had just happened.

Henry was finishing tugging his shirt over his head, while Rose, Henry's adopted older sister kept her eye on him, almost like she didn't quite believe that her little brother was truly there and okay. Ally Lucas was worrying her lower lip though, keeping her gaze focused out the window at the town.

Somewhere out there were her Mother and Gigi. The young girl clenches her one good hand into a fist to stop the shaking in her hand. Her cast on her right arm is due to come off any day now. That's not the thing that's taking up prominent space in her mind though. The curse has been broken. Everyone in Storybrooke now have their memories back.

Ally even has some very hazy recollections suddenly of a vibrant shade of red, and tall forests with light shimmering through the leaves of the trees. There is also a beautiful smiling face that she can make out as her mother's, and an odd sense of being utterly safe and protected, and most of all loved. Ally can't remember the last time that she had felt that way.

"So… that's it— the curse is broken?" Emma asks softly, almost as if she's not sure of what just happened.

"Yes, you broke the curse, and set us all free princess." Mother Superior says looking at Emma with an awed look. Her eyes rest on Rose disbelievingly quite a few times as well.

"I'm sorry, you are—"

"The Blue Fairy!" Henry cries excitedly from his place on the bed. The woman smiles at Henry, and nods her head casting Ally an approving look as well.

"Oh this is going to take some getting used to." Emma says running her hand over her face.

"Tell me about it." Rose says, gripping the blanket on the bed tightly enough to make her knuckles white.

"C-can we go— make sure that everyone else is okay?" Ally asks finally speaking, her worry and nerves growing too great to sit still any longer.

"Of course! We need to have the reunions now! I can't wait to see everyone recognize each other!" Henry cries hopping down from his hospital bed, and only stumbling just a little. Slowly the gathered group of people in the hospital room makes their way out of the ward and to the exit of the building.

The outside is so still its almost creepy. The only sounds that can be heard are the voices of the people around them. Henry has one hand in Emma's securely pleased to be with his mom, and his other is tightly connected to his best friend Ally's for he can practically feel the nerves coming off of her in waves.

Rose on the other hand keeps a few paces back from the little kids and Emma. She has been going through what amounts to a small identity crisis, since the curse had been broken. No memories had come rushing back to her, and of course Henry and Ally had the reason why. Rose had been a baby when the curse was enacted— a newborn in fact.

So this meant that she was supposed to still be in diapers, not a teenager and beginning to experiment with relationships for the first time. Her brother and Ally had told her who she was in the Enchanted Forest world they had read about so much, and all Rose could hope was that they weren't disappointed when they met her.

Coincidentally Emma was having the same worries as Rose. Her best friend Mary Margaret has turned out to be her mother Snow White, and her father is none other than Prince Charming or David Nolan. It was a lot for a twenty-eight-year-old to handle who had extreme abandonment issues.

The group made their way towards main-street at a steady pace, neither running nor walking to get where they're going. The only one of the small group that seemed terribly excited about all of this was Henry. He could understand why the rest were nervous, but he thought that at least some part of them would have been a little bit happy.

They had finally reached main-street where they finally could see more people. Ally's heart leapt into her throat and start beating at a mad pace. Two blocks away from them, she could see her Mom and Gigi embracing each other like she had never seen them do before. It was almost a desperate hug, but it was laced with love.

For some reason the group seems almost rooted to the spot watching as David and Mary Margaret appear— actually more like Snow and Charming now. Snow and Red hug, happy at being reunited. The seven dwarfs appear as well, and for the first time, Ally can really see them as that.

It looks to be a grand old reunion, but there's a fear there as well. Ally keeps her eyes on her mother and Gigi and watches as her mom becomes tense again and visibly upset. Deciding that she can't stay still and watch any longer, Ally shakes out of Henry's grip, and takes off running. It's a little odd with her cast, but that doesn't stop her.

Everyone is still distracted with the fact that their memories had come back to notice the running girl until she cried. "Mom!" Ally cries. She's only about twenty feet from her mom at that point and the group perks up at the new voice. The woman in question inhales sharply, before turning around, and catching the small body hurling itself at her.

Desperate fingers grasp at each other, and sobs wrack the frame of the girl that Red holds close to her. "Ally." She breathes, tightening her grip on the daughter that she barely recognizes. Sure Ruby has 'memories' of ten years of Ally growing up, but the last time Red had seen her daughter she was so small, that she could carry her in her basket still.

Tears are quickly blurring Red's vision. She doesn't startle when she feels the familiar hand of Granny on her back. She knows that this must be freaking her out to some extent as well. A muffled sound comes from the girl in her arms, and Red pulls back enough to get a good look at her tear stained face.

"What was that?" She asks softly, reaching up to softly wipe away her daughter's tears.

"Y-you came back to me…" Ally sniffles. Pain lances through Red's heart at the sadness and relief in her daughter. She can't believe that she caused all of that.

"That's right, I'm here pup. I'm here." She says, lifting the ten-year-old into her strong grasp, and moving them over to Granny.

Ally gives Gigi a wobbly smile and the old woman uncharacteristically has a few tears race down her cheeks, as she squeezes the hand of her great-granddaughter for what feels like the first time again. All three of them know that Ally is too old to be held like that, but they don't care.

For the first time, in a long time Ally feels at peace, and protected. Everyone had been watching the reunion of mother and daughter with happy, if not somewhat bewildered eyes. Like Red and Granny, the last their true selves remembered the girl as was a small, dark haired, happy toddler.

Watching the scene had sent an aching in Snow for her own flesh and blood.

"So, what do we do now?" Red asks, her daughter still in her arms.

"Now? Now I find my daughters." Snow says trying to think of how she is going to find them. Her heart aches for the injustices that have been done to her family— to all of their families, but hers has been wronged the most.

"So it's true." Emma's voice breaks through. Everyone stops and stares at the savior. Ally wriggles down from her mom's arms, feeling that she should be on the ground for this. Red grasps her hand tightly though, not ready to let go.

Mary Margaret or now Snow steps towards her daughter, and cups her cheek before pulling her into a tight hug. Emma doesn't return it, and anyone watching can see how overwhelmed and uncomfortable with this she is.

"You found us." Mary Margaret breathes. David joins in on the hug, adding that much more stiffness to Emma's posture.

"Grandpa?" Henry speaks up from behind the group. Charming— David stiffens for a moment before laughing.

"Yeah kid, I suppose so." David says drawing Henry into the hug. Rose stands back from the group feeling her stomach twist as she watches the reunited family. This is the family that Henry deserves, one that's full of good people and happiness. Rose isn't so sure that she could ever belong there, there's a darkness inside of her that while not acted upon, stems from hurt caused by her mother— the Evil Queen.

"Rose?" Henry questions, breaking the moment for the family, and startling the girl. Rose pales, she had been perfectly happy to be ignored and glossed over, but of course her brother would ruin that. Is he even her brother anymore?

Both David and Mary Margaret pull back from Emma quickly and their gazes flick to land on the young teenager with pink streaked hair. A muffled sob breaks out from Mary Margaret, and she launches herself at the girl, wrapping her in her arms tightly. Rose is so shocked, that she returns the warm embrace, trying to remember the last time she had one with her mother… it must have been when she was small.

"Oh god— I remember having you, and taking care of you as a baby. We were together! Then— then she took you away! She took you and any memory of you, and raised you herself! You were all I had left!" Mary Margaret sobs. David slowly walks over and hugs both of the girls, though his grief and anger is close to the surface after hearing what had happened to his youngest daughter, the one that he didn't even get to meet before the curse was enacted.

"T-this is so weird." Rose says tremulously. She could still hardly believe it herself from when Henry and Ally had told her earlier. She was the younger twin sister of Emma. She was the youngest daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, the baby that got caught in the curse, the one who wasn't the savior.

It was overwhelming to say the least. "What did you do to your hair?" David asks suddenly running his fingers through the pink streaks.

"Um… teenage rebellion?" Rose says a little uncertainly. How exactly do you explain that to people who are now going to be your parents, or well have always been them?

"We had the Evil Queen as a mother." Henry jumps in quickly to defend his sister.

"Good point." David says with a laugh. Emma had been watching the scene with someone akin to disbelief and horror. When she had wished for a family all those years ago, she didn't know that she was going to get one, or such an oddly dysfunctional one at that. Looking over at the Lucas' family Emma thought that at least someone stayed who they should have been.

"I can't believe you're my nephew… that just feels wrong." Rose says making a face and shivering at the thought, after she is released from the hug. Henry sticks his tongue out at that as well.

"Let's just stay siblings then." He says, before looking at the three adults around him. "Can we?"

Seeing the nervous looks on both of the kids face makes Mary Margaret, Emma, and David feel bad.

"Of course." They all answer almost at once. There is silence for a good minute or so, before its broken again.

"Well Emma did it, she saved you." Henry says with a big smile on his face as he beams up at his mom.

"She saved all of us." Mary Margaret says with a loving smile on her face as she looks at her oldest daughter.

"I… well…" Emma says looking extremely flustered.

"Uh, then why are we still all here?" Leroy asks, speaking up for the first time with a grumpy look on his face.

"That my friend, is an excellent question." David says looking around the town, unsure why the people hadn't been returned back to the Enchanted Kingdom.

"Well what was that smoke?" Mr. Clark or more aptly named Sneezy demands. The crowd is beginning to get a little hysterical at this point.

"Who did this? What was that smoke?" People are questioning each other and beginning the first stages of a panic.

Suddenly Mother Superior joins the crowd again, and Henry and Ally let out relieved breaths. If anyone will know what's going on around here it will be the Blue Fairy.

"Magic. It's here. I can feel it." She says ominously. Emma grabs Henry and pulls him closer, as David puts a hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder. Ally looks up at her mom worriedly as Ruby pulls her flush against her.

"Mom?" Ally asks worriedly.

"Hush pup." Ruby says softly.

"Magic? In Storybrooke? You're the Blue Fairy. Do something magical." Henry says beginning to get excited.

"It's not that simple Henry. No wand, no fairy dust… matters are complicated now." Mother Superior says grimly.

"No kidding." Rose says rolling her eyes. The distasteful looks of Mary Margaret and David are not lost on Rose for the expression.

"Let's go to the person responsible for bringing it— the Queen." Leroy speaks up again the angry look on his face, growing in severity.

"No— wait. It wasn't Regina." Emma says, pretty much shocking everyone in the street.

* * *

A few minutes later finds everyone walking down main-street in the direction of Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. It's a little disconcerting and worrisome how quickly the happy reunion had turned into a small mob bent on revenge. Henry and Rose were walking close together with Ally having only joined them a few minutes ago, for Ruby was worried about ever letting her daughter out of her sight again.

There were a lot of mistakes to atone for in Storybrooke and Ruby alone wasn't the only one who had to make amends. Leading the small pack of 'good guys' as Henry and Ally quickly dubbed it, much to the still freaked out annoyance of Rose.

Emma looks thoroughly frazzled at the front of the group with David and Mary Margaret glued at her sides. The only reason Rose escaped that totally horrifying confrontation was because the situation that they were all in was a little dire, and she was still a teenager and effectively had not done anything life threatening like go through a magical tree into a whole different world for twenty-eight years.

The kids were being closely watched by the wary eyes of the dwarves along with Ruby and Granny, this wasn't the time or place for children, but there was nothing that they could do about it at the moment, and there was safety in numbers.

Everything was going relatively smooth until a dull roar began up behind them. "Come on!" A man yells as the group rushes across the cross street behind them. The sudden yell causes Ally, Henry, and Rose to jump. Rose shakes her head not wanting to show how much her nerves are shot after everything that happened today.

"Snow." David says warily watching as Archie comes running up to the group out of breath, and red in the face.

"There you are. Come with me. I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house. They're going to kill her!" Archie cries.

Henry and Rose flinch and look worriedly to Emma and the two adults that are now supposedly their family. Ally grabs a hand from both Henry and Rose knowing, that still after everything that's happened that she's still their mother and that means something to them. Ally can forgive her mom, so at some point they should be able to forgive theirs… maybe?

"Great, let's watch." Leroy growls, earning a few nods and agreements at his words.

"No. No, we cannot stoop to her level. No matter who she is or what she's done, killing her is wrong." Archie argues back.

"He's right. Please. He's still my mom." Henry says looking quite terrified of the fact that people are gearing up to kill his mother. Rose nods her head in agreement while swallowing thickly, all the while fighting with that darkness inside of her.

"We have to stop them." Emma says firmly, leveling looks at all of the newly awoken fairytale people, her own parents included.

"If the Blue Fairy is right and magic is here, Regina could have her powers back. They'll be marching into slaughter." David says. Ally and Henry wince at the word choice, not quite knowing how to put the reality of the Enchanted Forest World and this world together.

The group breaks off into a run then, in the direction of Mifflin Street and Henry and Rose's house, probably old house now. Ruby and Granny makes sure to keep pace with the kids so that they don't get lost or hurt in all the panicked action. Deep down in Granny's bones she wanted to kill that evil witch who put them all in this place, but just seeing the teen and two kids made her temper simper down some.

In any other reality, Henry would not exist and her Ally would probably have grown up to be friends with Emma and Rose. The worst part of that reality is that she may not be alive to see how great of a person that her Ally grows up to be. On the other side of the group the same thoughts were churning around in her head.

Most of it was focused on her daughter though. As much as she hated the Evil Queen for taking everything away from her— so much time. She still had to own up to the fact that there were more important things in life, such as taking care of her daughter, something that her cursed self didn't do a good job of, by looking at her affection starved pup.

It turns out that the group barely gets there in time, much to the chagrin of the mob and the relief of Rose and Henry. Ally was relieved to, but it was mostly because she had regained the feeling in her hands from where her friends had squeezed them to death.

"Let her go. Let her go, let her go!" Emma yells pushing through the crowd and shoving Dr. Whale away from Regina. Henry and Rose were watching the situation unfold with rapt eyes while Ally sunk back into the protection of her mother and Gigi.

"Why should I listen to you?" Dr. Whale demands, looking like he was going to explode any second.

"Because I am still Sheriff." Emma says glaring out at everyone. Ally and Henry catch each other's eye, and agree that it was a good point.

"And because she saved you. All of you!" David announces stepping up onto the porch alongside his daughter, looking every bit like the King he actually was, all that he needed was a crown and maybe a sword. Rose's fingers itched to sketch the proud pose of the man she could scarcely believe is her father.

"And, because no matter what Regina did, it does not justify this." Mary Margaret says taking a step up to be closer to the rest of her family.

"We are not murderers here." Emma proclaims.

"Well, we're not from this world." Dr. Whale challenges.

"Yeah, well, you're in it now." Emma fires back, not backing down for a moment.

Not taking any chances with his daughter David pushes Dr. Whale away from him.

"Back off. You're not my prince." Dr. Whale hisses at David, causing a confused look to fall over his face.

"Who are you Whale?" David demands, not liking that there is someone in Storybrooke that he doesn't know. It leads to too many uneasy situations.

"That's my business." Whale says before taking a step back.

"Well my business, is making sure this town doesn't go to hell. So, whether or not I'm your prince, isn't the issue. We have a lot to figure out, and this isn't the way to do it." David says easily taking authority over the situation.

"And Regina's death won't provide any answers. She needs to be locked up. For her safety and, more importantly, for ours." Mary Margaret says falling back into her role of warrior princess with ease.

Ally turns her head up at an odd angle to see her mother's face. "What's going to happen now?" She asks worriedly, not so sure that everything is quite the way it should be now that the curse is broken.

"I'm not sure pup, but I do know one thing. You're not leaving my sight until you're twenty." Ruby says quite seriously, while Granny rolls her eyes.

"B-but, that's ten years!" Ally cries, frantically trying to keep up with her mom's long strides as the crowd disperses as the royal family takes Regina away to the Sheriff's station.

* * *

It was extremely insulting for Henry and Rose to be shoved away with Ruby and Ally for the night while they figured out how to deal with the Regina situation. It wasn't that they didn't like Ruby, it was just that they didn't want to be separated from their new family this soon. It had only been a day since everything had changed, and everyone, the adults and the children are uneasy with all the changes that have happened.

The night before Henry and Ally were camped out on the floor of Ally's room with a giant blanket bed, so that the two of them could sleep next to each other. Rose was to share the room with the two of them but since she was older and with a later bedtime she was out in the living room of the inn with Gigi and Ruby.

Ally's head was swirling with all of the things that had happened today. Everything was different now even though she was back in her same bedroom that she had never left before. Her mom had actually come in and told Henry and her three stories to help them fall asleep, even though that did nothing but excite the two even more than usual.

"Ally… do you think that everything is going to be okay now that the curse is broken, and everyone has their memories back?" Henry asks after a lengthy giggling fit that the pair of them had broken out into just moments earlier.

Ally paused for a moment and turned her head to make out her best friend in the dim light of her room. "I hope so… people should be much happier now that they know who they were before. My mom— she looks sad though. It's when she looks at me Henry… only for a little bit, then she's all smiles again." Ally says softly, hoping that speaking about this aloud won't affect anything too much.

"I think that she's just sad that she missed so much time with you. I can tell that she loves you lots. Besides all the stories said how much Red's little girl was her life." Henry says with a reassuring smile on his face. Ally nods her head, even though she's still not a hundred percent relieved.

The next day proved to be a nightmare right out of the fairytale book that Henry and Ally coveted so much before the curse broke. The skies had darkened and the wind had picked up, and a deep coldness had seeped into the small town. Henry was afraid for his family. In Ally's opinion he had a right to be for history showed that his family was always at the center of every problem.

Without so much as a second thought Henry dashed out of the inn and into the street to go find his mom. Cursing Rose followed after him, with Ally trailing along with her. Ruby noticed the kids leaving a second too late, and ended up chasing after them, her heart jammed into her throat. She couldn't lose her daughter, not after she had only just found her again after all these years.

The small group makes it all the way to city hall, and it is glaringly obvious that whatever had happened was done. There was an eerie stillness in the air again. Henry burst into the room seconds before his sister Rose, and his best friend Ally. What greeted them and Ruby a second later was the sight of Regina standing in front of David who was being held to a wall and strangled with obviously magicked vines.

"Mom?" Henry's voice is both at once loud and small, breaking through the tense atmosphere.

"What are you doing?" Rose demands a horrified glimmer in her eye.

"Henry, Rose, what are you doing here?" Regina demands, her previously victorious posture deflating slightly.

"What are you doing?" Rose demands, her voice pitching higher in hysteria.

"It's okay. You're safe now." Regina says, but no one is quite sure who she's talking about. The vines release David, and Ruby hurries over to help him off the floor.

"W-where's my mom… where's—" Henry starts but Regina cuts him off.

"They're gone. They fell through a portal. They're Henry… I'm sorry…" Regina says.

"No! You're not sorry. This is what you wanted all along!" Rose cries grabbing, her hair and closing her eyes shut, like that would make all of this nightmare go away.

"It's true you wanted this all along. You really are the Evil Queen. I don't want to see you again." Henry says, his voice wobbling slightly but firm.

"Rose." Regina says somewhat desperately looking to her oldest for some sort of answer other than the one that Henry is willing to give.

"I can't. I never even got to really talk to her— to either of them. My— mom and sister… I never got the chance…" Rose says shaking her head and shrinking back away from everyone, not sure what to do with the swirling mess that's inside her head.

"No, don't say that. I love you." Regina says looking at her two kids with a sort of aching looking that even Ally can sort of see.

"Then prove it. Get Emma and Mary Margaret back. And until then, leave me— leave everyone alone." Henry says his voice hard and firm once again.

"But where will you go?" Regina demands.

"With me." David says limping over to the three kids with the support of Ruby under his arm. It was a final sort of statement. The group of five left the office leaving Regina standing inside alone.

Once out on the street David straightened and took a step gingerly on his own. Before he could falter much though, Rose ducked under his arm to try and support him, even though she wasn't as tall as Ruby. David glanced down at the girl surprised that she had been the one to make contact.

She looked more like him in the facial features, but her hair was all Snow's. "Thanks." David says softly, smiling gently down at his teenage daughter. He can still hardly believe that they had managed to miss so much of both of their daughters lives, but at least with Rose, she was still young. She still needed someone, unlike what Emma seemed to be presenting.

Henry happily bounced over and started chattering with the pair as they slowly made they're way down the street to Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment, where they would be staying.

Ruby looked down at her daughter to see her worriedly staring up at her. "What's wrong pup?" She asks kneeling down to Ally's level.

"I'm worried." Ally admits quietly. Ruby reaches out a hand and pushes a stray strand of brown hair out of the kid's face.

"Why are you worried?" Ruby asks wanting to know what was eating at the young girl.

"Everything is changing, and people are getting hurt. Everything is different now! There's magic and people are much more willing to hurt each other! You're sad all the time, and I'm what's making you sad!" Ally cries letting go of everything that's been building up inside of her.

Ruby takes in a surprised breath. She had thought that she was doing a fairly good job at keeping her emotions pretty even around Ally, but now that looks like a fairy tale of her own.

"Pup, I'm not sad because of you. I'm just sad that I've missed out on so much with you. I wasn't the greatest mom before. I know that, it hurts me to remember this, but I promise you that I will be so much better for you now. Even if everything in the world changes, I promise you, that you will still have me. And Gigi." Ruby says fighting the sting of tears in her own eyes.

Ally looks at her mom for a long moment, before flinging herself into her arms. Ruby holds her daughter tightly and with a strong bout of strength granted to her the dark part of her, lifts Ally into her arms, and propels her onto her feet. Ally's grip around her mother's neck tightens, and Ruby carries her back to the diner, murmuring sweet nothings the whole way.

Once the pair are back in the familiar warmth of the living room of the inn, does Ally let go of her mom, and that's only so that she can snuggle in between her Gigi and her mother as the three of them watch Hoodwinked on the television, much to the amusement of all three ladies present.


	14. We Are Both

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time. Never have, never will. Just Ally.

* * *

02- We Are Both

The next day starts up with raring intensity. Quite honestly Ally is shocked at the change in her mother. First would be that she woke up in her mom's bed, second that Ruby was walking on the phone with someone obviously strategizing. This was a side of her mother that Ally has never seen before. She's in control, and obviously fairly good at marshaling forces together.

After being roused out of bed quickly and changed into warm clothes, Ally is then shuffled into the diner for breakfast, where she watches with wide eyes as her mom and Gigi start taking over battle plans. It's clear to her now that her mother and Gigi were not women to be trifled with back in the Enchanted Forest.

As soon as the last bit of her pancake was finished Ally was rushed outside to meet up with Mother Superior or the Blue Fairy. The way the two adults talked fascinated Ally, she didn't even know that her mom knew the Blue Fairy all that well before. Quickly her attention had to be snapped back though, since she was given the instruction to point directions of emergency services to people when they came for help.

At first Ally wondered what they were going to need help with, but it soon became obvious by the sudden flood of frantic people who had two lives living in they're heads.

The Crisis Center was set up out front of Town Hall. Ally made a face when Marco (Gepetto) walked by her mumbling sadly, while putting up missing person flyers of Pinocchio.

"My boy… my poor boy." He moans, before walking away. Ally shifts uncomfortably for she is still not sure what happened to August. She was going to have to go and check on him, but she was definitely not doing that alone, so she was going to have to rope some free alone time with Henry.

"If you are looking for a family member, come to the front table. If you need counseling, Dr. Hopper has a signup sheet. If the wraith damaged your house, there are cots at the school." Ruby calls out directing a distraught woman in the direction of Dr. Hopper's booth. Ally couldn't help but smile proudly at her mom. She truly was something to behold. She was looking much more confident than she ever did before.

"This is getting out of hand. People are starting to panic. They don't know what to do." Mother Superior says to Ruby with a frazzled look on her face.

"It's okay. It'll be fine. We just need everyone to remain calm. I have a feeling our Prince is working on something right now." Ruby says with a reassuring look on her face. She glances down at Ally for a moment and gives her a reassuring smile. I give her a weak smile back before turning back and helping a man coming up to us with a lost look on his face.

Ally believed that they could get through this. They just had to. Everything was supposed to get better after the curse broke, not turning back to chaos.

* * *

After about another hour of nonstop work at the Crisis Center Henry and Rose Mills appeared without David Nolan. That caused some people a great deal of stress. They needed guidance, and that was going to come from the only leader they remembered back in the Enchanted Forest Prince Charming.

"So how was it last night?" Ally asks Henry as the pair of them finish distracting a distressed baby for a mother as she deals with the paperwork that's needed to get lodging in the school.

"Surprisingly not that awkward— Gramps even played a board game with us. I swear even Rose managed to crack a smile." Henry says with a big grin on his face. Ally smiles happily at Henry. It looks like he's getting his happy ending in the end as well.

"How is Rose doing?" Ally asks glancing curiously at the exhausted looking teen over at Dr. Hopper's booth helping jot down information about each person coming to seek help, and get appointments. Henry glances over at his sister as well.

"I think this is all still a big shock to her. She seems to be getting along with Gramps pretty well. He is her dad after all. Boy, that's weird to say." Henry says with a shiver going down his back.

"It is rather weird. I couldn't imagine being her. She suddenly has an entirely new set of parents, and a sister who is the mother of her little brother, and said sister is supposed to be her twin. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it." Ally says rubbing her temples.

"Yeah… well if there is anyone who can handle this it would be Rosie, she can handle anything." Henry says seriously, and its obvious to see the admiration he has for his older sister. Not for the first time Ally thinks that it would be great to have a sibling.

"What about you? Life with Ruby better now? She's awesome." Henry says grinning openly at Ally's mother as she handles an enraged man two times her size easily.

"Yeah she really is." Ally says softly. Then again, she kind of does have family in Henry and Rose.

A few minutes later David finally arrives at the Crisis Center. "Henry! Have you seen Blue? Ah— Mother Superior?" David cries coming up to the two kids and stopping in front of them. At the arrival of her father Rose starts floating closer to the small group.

"No. But everyone is looking for you." Henry says. Ally nods along.

"She's around here somewhere." Ally says remembering seeing the woman around the Center at some point recently.

Suddenly several people are surrounding David at once. Ruby comes over as soon as she sees the growing crowd start to form.

"Do we know where Rump- Mr. Gold is?" Ruby asks quickly trying to assess the threat that everyone (namely her kid) is in.

"Wait! Does the Queen still have power?" Archie asks sounding extremely anxious as he asks this question.

"I thought I would find my boy." Marco says sadly.

"Please! We've got to be planning something!" Henry cries breaking though the adults.

"Henry's right." Rose says coming to stand behind the ten-year-olds. She's learned her lesson, and she's never going to doubt the pair of them again, no matter how foolish it may seem to do so. They opened up a whole new world to her.

"Hey, let me ask you something? Are the nuns still nuns? Or can they, you know, date?" Dr. Whale asks breaking through before anyone can answer the kids.

"Uh, I don't know." David says surprised at the question from the creepy doctor.

"Don't say it's me asking…" Dr. Whale trails off.

"You're gross." Ally says bluntly.

"Ally." Ruby says sharply, causing the girl to blush. Ruby can't keep a smile off her face for long though. She did manage to do some good things with her kid.

"Blue!" David cries extremely relieved when he spots the Mother Superior.

"Could there be a tree on this side? The way we sent Emma through as a baby. Maybe I could go after them that way." David asks beginning to sound somewhat desperately.

"It's possible… but without fairy dust to guide us here… no, its hopeless." Mother Superior says with a dejected look on her face.

Ally grabs Henry's hand when she sees the beginning of a sad look on his face. Rose grips the shoulders of both Henry and Ally trying to center herself after hearing yet another chance at saving her—mother and sister go down the drain.

"You'll find another way. In the book, things always look worse right before there's good news." Henry says defiantly. That seems to perk people up a little bit before Leroy (better known as Grumpy) comes barreling into the Crisis Center group along with the rest of the seven dwarves.

"Terrible news! Terrible news! We were out at the town limits. Tell them who you think you are, Sneezy." Leroy says nudging Tom Clark on the ribs.

"Oh, will you stop calling me that. You know who I am. I'm Tom Clark. I own the Dark Star Pharmacy. What's going on here?" Tom demands looking around at everyone who is staring at him like he has two heads.

"That can't be good." Ally mutters under her breath.

"I don't think it is." Rose says softly.

"If you cross the border, you lose your memory all over again." Leroy says angrily and somewhat dramatically.

"A-and coming back doesn't fix it?" Archie asks, stuttering a little.

"If it did, would I have come running in yelling 'terrible news'?! If we leave, our curse selves become our only selves." Leroy yells, causing some to flinch, and a general sense of hysteria to descend on the group.

"I wonder if my mom knows?" Henry says almost to himself.

"It wouldn't shock me if she did." Rose grumbles darkly. Henry glances back up at his older sister.

"She's still our mother Rose." Henry says quietly.

"Is she?" Rose challenges before stalking back to the group of people, which she can actually help. It eases some of the incredible guilt inside of her for being partly the daughter of the woman who helped cause all this mess in the first place.

David breaks away from the group, and Henry breaks away from Ally to follow him. The rest of the group does the same as well, minus Rose of course.

"I can help!" Henry cries.

"People! Everybody! Everybody meet back here in two hours. I'll tell you my plan to fix everything." David says before breaking away from them again, this time only with Ruby following him. Henry and Ally stand at the edge of the Crisis Center staring at their family members talking in lowered voices.

"He ignored me." Henry says softly.

"He didn't mean it Henry. He's just worried and upset. He wants Snow and Emma back. We all do. Besides, we're just kids. Adults never listen to us, remember how long it took us to get Emma to believe in us?" Ally says knocking her shoulder against Henry's.

It takes a moment, but he grins back at her. "Yeah, it would all go a lot better if they just listened to us, wouldn't it?" Henry says, and Ally can't help but smile in agreement.

* * *

Two hours later finds everyone gathered at Town Hall for the meeting. Henry and Rose are taking turns calling David on their cell phones, but so far they haven't been able to get through. The prince is the only one not there at the moment.

"Come on, Gramps. Pick up. Come on…" Henry mutters pacing back and forth while the phone rings yet again for what must be the millionth time.

"Please, everyone. Just be patient. I'm sure he's going to be here any minute." Ruby says trying to placate the crow that's growing more agitated by the second.

Ally keeps her eye nervously on her Gigi who is walking around the room with her crossbow. She has never seen her Gigi armed before, and now that she has, she never wants to see her like that again.

"Granny, do you really need that?" Ruby asks noticing her nervous pup.

"We've got a lawless town, Ruby. Damn right I need it. I have great-grandbaby to protect." Granny growls. Ruby sighs and shakes her head.

"Try calling him again." Ruby says to Henry and Rose.

"He's not picking up." Rose snaps getting close to her breaking point with nerves enough to last for a lifetime.

"Just keep trying." Ruby says, giving the older girl a pleading look. Rose sighs and dials the phone again before putting it to her ear.

Before the device even has a chance to get a ring out, Regina makes an appearance by opening the doors to the town hall with magic. Ruby quickly grabs Henry and Ally pulling them behind her, not willing to let the kids be seen by the Evil Queen.

"My, what a nice turnout. No need for a fuss. It's just little old me." Regina says stalking into the room, the frightened townspeople parting before her like the Red Sea.

"Regina. Think about what you're doing." Archie says desperately as Regina makes her way to the front of the room.

"Bug." Regina sneers, sending Archie flying across the room with a simple wave of her hand. Henry and Rose are shocked at the display in front of them. They had always known on some level that they're mother wasn't a good person, but this was taking things to a whole new level with the magic.

Ally couldn't help the shaking of her body, as she let herself be tucked closer to her mother, who had sensed her shaking. Magic suddenly didn't look fun anymore.

"Hey!" Leroy shouts, charging at Regina, but with another wave he's sent flying back as well, with people scrambling to help him back to his feet.

Suddenly Granny steps out into the aisle and fires an arrow at Regina which she catches in her hand, shocking people. Regina merely turns to look at it with a smile on her face.

"How sweet." She says with a sickly sweet smile on her face. She set the arrow on fire, turning it into a fireball, which she fires at the crowd. Ruby tries to cover the kids as the flaming ball passes overhead. Part of the wall is on fire from her actions in the end.

Furious at the notion that her kid could have hurt Ruby steps into the aisle herself facing off against Regina, "What do you want?"

"Me. Well me and Rose. I don't know about her, but its okay I'll come with you. Just leave them." Henry says pushing away from the crowd and up front near his mother. Rose straightens from where she was kneeling with a death grip on her phone.

"That's my boy. Rose?" Regina asks, caressing Henry's face. The boy looks uncomfortable though, and Ally struggles against her Gigi's grip on her arm so that she can get to her friend and protect him.

Rose steps forward with a cold look on her face. "You're not my mother anymore, and you never will be again, but these people don't deserve to get hurt because of me." Rose says with a dirty glare directed solely at her mother.

Ally can tell by the stiffening of Regina's jaw that she does not like that answer, but she takes it anyway, and leads the two kids off with her. Ally finally manages to break free from her Gigi's hold and rush for the door alongside her mother as soon as the doors close magically behind the trio.

"We have to do something." Ally says desperately looking up at her mom. Ruby bites her lip and looks down at her daughter sadly.

"She has magic pup. Really dangerous magic Ally, I'm not sure what I can do against that in this world." Ruby says reluctantly, her heart hurting at the devastated look on her daughter's face.

* * *

So the town hall meeting had turned into utter chaos. Everyone had started panicking all at once after Regina left, and the sentiment seemed to be clear and shared by almost all there. It was time to get the hell out of town, consequences be damned.

Seeing where the situation was going, Ruby grabbed Ally's hand and dragged the two of them out of the room and out of Town Hall back onto the streets. "Mom, what's going on?" Ally asks nervously. Everything has been spiraling out of control ever since the curse was broken and it's only been two days. Now Henry and Rose were gone, back with their evil mother, and Ally was worried.

"We need to find David, pup before something bad happens." Ruby says squeezing her daughter's hand as she kicks the pair of them into a jog. Luckily they don't have to go far before they see a man running past them, with David chasing after him.

"David, stop!" Ruby yells trying to get the man's attention. She jumps in front of him stopping his mad chase in its tracks.

"Get out of my way!" David cries, trying to start back up after the man.

"Regina has Rose and Henry." Ruby says, and that's enough to stop David in his tracks.

"But he has the way!" David cries still focused on his goal.

"She has Henry and Rose! She's threatening everyone!" Ally cries, being no longer able to stand by and have the adults bickering until everything is too late.

"She has Rose and Henry?" David says, suddenly snapping out of his weird trance like state.

"She showed up at your town meeting – the one you missed. Her magic's back. Everyone's panicking. They want to leave town – they're going to lose everything." Ruby says, giving the man an unimpressed look.

"Okay. Okay, but I have to go after him first. He's my only hope of finding a way to get Emma and Snow back." David says, still not seeming to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Ruby growls, and Ally takes a step back, slightly startled by the more animalistic side of her mother.

"Back to what? This town is about to come apart. You've got to do something." Ruby says seriously, staring David in the eye, before he nods his head in acquisition.

"So what do we do?" Ally asks breaking the silence of the adults.

"Well first pup, we go for a ride, and stop all the panicking people from becoming cursed people." Ruby says dangling her car keys in her hand.

A few minutes later, and the head of a long convoy of cars. Ruby angles her car so that it blocks the lanes by the border of the town, so that no one can leave, at least no by car they can't. Ruby, David, and Ally all quickly climb out of their car to face the now very irate and angry townspeople.

"Get out of the way! We have a right to go!" Archie yells from beside his car. Ally can see the fear radiating in the therapist's eyes. She doesn't need to be a shrink to tell her that that's what she's seeing.

"Listen to me! Listen!" David yells, finally getting the mob to quiet down. After a moment of silence he begins a speech that makes Ally truly believe that he could definitely be a real life prince.

"If you cross that line, you're going to be lost. Everyone who loves you will lose you. But there's something worse – you'll lose yourself. Look, I get wanting to leave here, I do. And I get that it's easier to let go of bad memories, but… Even bad memories are part of us. David, Storybrooke David, was – is – weak, confused. And he hurt the woman I love. I wouldn't give up being Charming just to be him, but, you know what? I wouldn't make the other trade, either. Because that David reminds me, not only of who I lost, but of who I want to be. My weaknesses, and my strengths. David, and the Prince. I am both – just like you. You are both. The town is both. We are both. Stay here, and every choice is open to you. Live in the woods if you want. Hell, live in a shoe if you want. Or eat frozen burritos and write software. Let's open Granny's and the school. And get back to work. I will protect you. She won't be able to hurt any of us. Not as long as I'm alive. Not as long as we all come together. As we did before. As we shall do again." David says.

Slowly after a long moment, people start back to their cars, and one by one, turn back and head to town.

"Now that was cool." Ally says with a big smile on her face.

* * *

Its later on that night in a reopened Granny's that Ally finally gets the relief that she was hoping for all day. In walk David, Rose, and Henry, all looking a little tired, but nonetheless happy to be together.

Henry and Ally connect eyes, and Henry gives a slight nod before stopping by Marco at his booth and whispering something in his ears. Even after everything that's happened the two of them have still managed to keep up their secret method of communication.

Rose can't help but shake her head fondly at the sight, happy to see that the two of them aren't too scared from everything that's happened recently. When the three Charmings finally take their place at the counter beside Ally and ordered their food, David decides to break his silence.

"Hey. It exists guys. The Enchanted Forest is still out there." David says. That statement gets bright, happy, relieved looks from both the teen, and the kid seated on either side of David. Ally smiles in happiness for the family.

"And… so are they." Henry says with a small grin.

"They better be." Rose says with a shake of her head, and David wraps his arm around his daughter, pleased when she doesn't fight him, and instead leans her head against his shoulder.

"But, how do we know they survived the trip there?" Henry asks, suddenly worried again. Ally takes his hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"Because I can feel it." David says simply, and all three of the kids seated there, are suddenly filled with the same assurance as the man. David just sits there at the counter in Granny's Diner, beyond thrilled that the day ended well, and that Regina gave up the kids without a fight— no sword needed. Things had certainly changed in Storybrooke, and he wasn't going to stop until they had been changed again, and Snow and Emma were sitting here with their family at Granny's Diner where they belonged.


	15. Lady of the Lake

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time. Never will.

* * *

03- Lady of the Lake

Probably the worst thing to come out of this whole broken curse thing was the fact that people believed that school should start up again. Even worse, Mary Margaret was missing in the Enchanted Forest, so they would have a different teacher. No one wants that.

Ally was sulking on her walk that morning to the bus with Henry, Rose, and they're grandfather David. The old Ruby who didn't mind a few mental health days off of school, is now more reluctant, almost against Ally being anywhere other than school, where she knows that her pup will be safe.

Henry for the most part didn't seem to be that bothered. Rose looked absolutely mutinous to be forced to go back to high school after everything that happened. David on the other hand looked a little desperate and worn down, having to had to parent a teen and a kid before.

"So, what' on the agenda for Operation Scorpion?" Henry asks looking at his grandfather expectantly.

"I still say it needs another name." Ally grumbles from alongside her friend.

"What's Operation Scorpion?" David questions confused.

"See!" Ally cries.

"The code name for our mission to find Emma and Snow. Do you prefer viper? That was my second choice." Henry says obviously, and Rose has to fight rolling her eyes.

"Not everything is a mission Henry." She grumbles, not looking forward one bit to facing people at school now that they have they're true memories back.

"Henry, we need to talk." David says stopping to turn to look at the young boy.

"Here we go, adults to the rescue." Ally grumbles under her breath.

"Yeah, I like scorpion better." Henry says oblivious to the mood change around him.

"No, it's not that its…" David starts before he's cut off again.

"We're not coming with you. But I… I thought we were going to find Jefferson." Henry says his voice getting smaller.

"I already did." David says with a hard look on his face. Ally fidgets remembering haven seen David run after a man that she assumes now had been Jefferson.

"What? Why didn't we know this? Is he going to help us?" Rose breaks out, looking desperately at her father.

"No. No, guys, he's not." David says looking half sad and half angry. Ally scoots a small step back for she's sure that the angry part is stronger at the moment.

"But why didn't you tell us that you talked to him?" Henry demands beginning to look hurt.

"Because I didn't want to disappoint you. I know you want to find your mom, but Jefferson can't help us. I need to find a way to restore the hat." David says trying to get the kids to believe him. Not for the first time does he wish that Snow had been the one to be here for she would know how to interact with the kids better than him. He'd been in a coma for twenty-eight-years for crying out loud!

"So, why can't we help you look?" Rose demands hotly, not liking that they're being kept out of the loop again. She's not like Henry and Ally, she's almost fifteen, she can help.

"It'll require magic Rose, and magic—" David starts again.

"Always comes with a price. We've read the book you know." Ally finally breaks into the conversation tired, of adults underestimating them again.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't let you anywhere near this stuff. Your moms will kill me if I did. If you really want to help me, you'll go to school where I know you'll be safe, okay?" David says looking at each of the three children equally. The two little kids are infamous for not doing what they're told.

"Okay." Henry sighs, and Ally nods along with him.

"I don't get why we have to go to school anyway. We're fake people, none of this really matters. This isn't even our world anyway, why do we have to even learn anything." Rose says hotly.

"Because we are still in this world, and getting an education is important for you despite whether you're from another world or not." David argues back.

"Says the man who never went to a day of school in his life." Rose fires back before stomping away to the bus. The younger two kids follow her until they notice that David has left. All three of the kids veer away from the yellow school bus that that time.

"Are you coming with us for Operation Scorpion?" Henry asks hopefully looking up at his older sister. Rose glances down at him and sees the hopeful look in Henry's face, and the sad one in Ally's. In makes her gut twist, there are too many emotions swirling around inside her at the moment. She's scared, angry, confused, and beyond frustrated with everything that has happened.

It doesn't help that David— Charming whoever he is… her father is not the easiest to get to know. Rose envies Henry with his hero worship of him. Rose is already dented though; she's battered from years of being Regina's oldest. Her heart isn't the warm and happy place that her fairytale parents expect it to be. Oh excuse her— parent, for one fell down the fricken' rabbit hole.

"Sorry kids, maybe next time." Rose says before walking away from the pair, desperate to get somewhere where she could forget everything that's going on in her life at the moment. Henry and Ally watch her leave worriedly.

"I don't think Rose is happy." Ally says.

"She's just confused. This is our happy ending, it will all work out in the end when Emma and Mary Margaret return, you'll see we'll all be happy. Now, come on, we have a mad hatter to go see." Henry says with a grin, and takes off down with alleyway with Ally hot on his heels.

* * *

It took the kids a while to figure out where Jefferson would be. Ally was grumpy because it had taken them a few hours to locate the man, and even Henry had to admit that they didn't plan this action out all the way, much to the amusement of Ally. The two kids found him at the docks, not somewhere that they were allowed to go without an adult present (like they ever followed that rule).

The man is sitting on a bench starting down at a paper in his hands, not even caring that the wind is sending his messy hair every which way, and that the paper in his hands is getting battered around. Henry and Ally exchange a glance a few feet away from the man. Ally shakes her head, while Henry nods strongly, and turns to face Jefferson. Ally sighs and follows behind her friend, for someone is going to have to keep him out of trouble.

"Jefferson… right? The Mad Hatter? I need your help." Henry says coming to a stop in front of the man, and getting a good look at the crudely drawn missing papa picture on the paper.

"Look, I already told your grandfather. I can't do anything." Jefferson says not even looking up from the paper.

"I know. But, there must be something that we can do." Henry says balling his hands into fists. He's beginning to get fed up of all the adults in his life telling him what he can and cannot do.

"I'm the wrong person to talk to, kid. Magic's not my thing. Try your mother. Maybe she's got something in that vault of hers she can help you with." Jefferson says finally looking up from the paper to the kids.

"Vault? Her vault is here? In Storybrooke?" Henry asks excitement beginning to lace his voice again. Ally gives him a weak grin in return when he turns to look at her. Ally is not sure that she likes magic at all. Everything seems to turn out badly when magic is involved.

"It's none of my business. Talk to her." Jefferson says quickly. Ally eyes the man warily, knowing that he has more to tell them, but that he won't.

"What's that?" Ally questions pointing to the paper. Jefferson jumps a little at her voice and quickly shoves the flyer into his pocket.

"Your daughter is looking for you, isn't she?" Ally asks softening her voice a little. She knows that some people weren't as lucky as she was to get to still be with her family when the curse hit. Parents and children should always be together, in her opinion.

"What would you know about it?" Jefferson snaps, standing up from the bench and attempting to get away from the kids.

"We read your story. We know how the two of you were separated. Why are you here? She's at school." Henry says, looking confused.

"I've got to go home kids." Jefferson says starting to walk away from the pair. Henry and Ally quickly run in front of him to stop him though.

"She probably wants to see you." Ally says, trying to convince the man to go to his daughter. Ally knows that if she had a father, she would want to see him as well.

"Get out of my way." Jefferson snaps, moving around Ally, only to be blocked by Henry.

"Get out of my way." He growls again, looking more desperate this time.

"Why aren't you trying to find her?" Henry demands, a hard look settling onto his face. If there is one thing that he doesn't like, its families not trying to find a way to be with each other. Jefferson leans down and grabs Henry by the shoulders.

"Because I left her! And she'll hate me!" Jefferson cries, before being shoved back by Ally who had gotten in between the pair, and was growling at him softly, much to the shock of Jefferson. Henry seems oblivious to what is going on, and before he can notice it, Ally snaps out of it, her face paling drastically.

"How do you know that?" Henry demands, not letting up on Jefferson.

"I was on my way… and fate reminded me that I shouldn't." The man mumbles looking out at the water.

"You should. I've been left, too. Anything's better than nothing. She'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her. Not knowing is the worst." Henry says, before sighing, and grabbing Ally by the hand to pull her away from the man.

"He just needs some time." Ally says softly, still slightly shaken up by her earlier aggression.

"I hope so, nothing is worse than being abandoned." Henry repeats again.

"Well good thing that's never going to happen to you again! Not if I have anything to say about it!" Ally says with a grin. Henry smiles back at her, and not for the first time thanks whoever is out there that he has such a good friend on his side.

* * *

So as much as Henry hates to admit it, it was Ally's plan for him to call his mother and ask her to have lunch with him at Granny's so that the pair of them could sneak back into her office to steal her keys for their next adventure. Regina jumped at the chance at having the opportunity to have lunch with her son, even though it hurt her that her daughter wouldn't be joining them as well.

Ally and Henry had been hiding out in the town hall, and as soon as they were certain that she had left the building, the pair of them sneak into her office and go directly to one of the filing cabinets, opening the drawers until they find the ring of skeletons keys again. It was a good thing that she hadn't changed their location since the last time the pair had broken in there to prove that Regina had set Mary Margaret up.

Of course the book is a handy guide in telling them where Regina's vault would most likely be, so with Ally holding the book, Henry leads the way through Storybrooke's cemetery.

"I hate cemeteries." Ally says with a shudder, following Henry as they weave through the headstones.

"They're not that scary Ally." Henry says scanning for the Mills mausoleum.

"Says the boy who's walking all over the graves of dead bodies, like this is just a regular walk in the park." Ally counters.

"I thought that werewolves were supposed to be brave and scary." Henry taunts. Ally grits her teeth at the obvious jab.

"Well I'm not a werewolf yet, but you might want to start sleeping with one eye open, when I do become one." Ally snarls. Henry can't help but laugh at that.

"Like you would ever hurt me. You love me too much!" He cackles, and Ally slams the book shut in frustration. Henry can certainly be a brat at some times. Ally bumps into Henry when he suddenly stops in front of a crypt that has HENRY MILLS carved onto it.

"Okay, and that's not creepy at all." Ally says a shiver running down her spine. She does not like thinking about Henry being dead at all, even if it isn't her Henry.

"You know that I was named after her father." Henry says simply before pulling out the skeleton keys and jamming it into the lock. It takes a few tries, but he finally gets it open, and the gate swings with a creek to allow them access.

"Look for anything that's out of place." Henry instructs Ally. The pair scan the room, finding nothing off, until Ally looks at the floor, and taps Henry's arm, and points at the scrape marks around the sarcophagus. Henry grins at Ally and the pair move over to the heavy stone sarcophagus and with all their might push it to the side. Ally still can't believe that they're doing this. It feels like they're inside one of those Indiana Jones movies that her mom loved watching so much, because of the adventure. At least in those movies, there wasn't magic involved.

"Yes!" Henry exclaims as soon as the passageway down has been revealed. Henry starts down the stairs to Regina's vault, but Ally hesitates at the top. She clutches her arm, remembering the last time that she went underground when she wasn't supposed to, and she nearly died then.

"You can wait up here Ally… I won't mind." Henry says softly, recognizing the fear for what it is. Ally bites her lip, glancing between Henry and the light that she can still see coming from the doorway. If she stays up here, she's safe, but then Henry is unprotected down there. Going against her common sense, she quickly jumps the few steps until she is level with her best friend.

"Come on, before I change my mind." Ally mutters grabbing onto Henry's hand and pulling him down into Regina's vault.

Ally immediately wishes that she had decided to wait upstairs. It is beyond creepy and terrifying to be faced with Regina's wall of hearts. Ally can't tell how hard her own heart is beating from the sound of the heartbeats coming out of the boxes. Henry tugs on Ally's hand and leads her further into the vault away from the heart thankfully.

There are several vases and chests strewn about the inner room, and Henry lets go of Ally's hand to approach one of the chests. Ally warily watches him go. There is something off about this room, which makes the hair on the back f her neck stand up. Good things don't come out of this place.

Henry bends down to slowly open the chest in front of him with the keys. Ally creeps closer as the lid is opened, all of her attention focused on the boy in front of her. The box springs open, and two very deadly snakes spring out, and Ally tackles Henry to the floor, while David forces them back into the chest and locks it. He looks down at the two panting kids on the ground, honestly not sure what he's going to do with them.

"Maybe we should've gone with Operation Viper. You two alright?" David asks helping the kids onto their feet. He can see that they're both shook up, but that there is still a terrified gleam to Ally's eyes. He starts ushering the pair to the stairs.

"Yeah. How did you know we were down here?" Henry asks, looking up at his grandfather.

"Your mom said you asked her to lunch and, when you stood her up, she checked her office, saw her keys missing, figured out the rest. She would've come herself, but she didn't think you'd go with her. Henry, what were you thinking?" David demands looking at the boy. He knows that this was Henry's idea, for Ally would go along with it.

"I just want them back. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I should be over there with them. Riding horses, learning how to sword fight." Henry says looking the most miserable that Ally has seen him in a while.

"I know. I know. It's okay. Because we're going to do this together. Come on, now. You got to get to school, and I got to make sure no one else finds this place. I'm not looking forward to explaining this to your mom kid." David says looking down at Ally, and the girl pales even more. Ruby is now more Red than Ruby, and Ally doesn't have enough experience with how Red will react to her stunt today.

* * *

So it turns out that while Red and Ruby share the same propensity for adventure, they definitely go about the treatment of adventure and their kid different ways. Ruby would have just shook her head, and been upset with Ally, but Red— Red was downright angry that Ally had gotten involved in anything magic and Regina related.

She had stormed back and forth in front of Ally trying to think of all the synonyms for stupidity that she could come up, with before declaring that Ally and Henry needed a little break from each other, and that Charming— David agreed with her. When Ally had burst into tears at the idea of never seeing Henry again, Ruby assured her daughter, that it wouldn't be forever, just for a little while.

Later that night when Ally was woken up by a nightmare of hearts in glass boxes beating out a rhythm all on their own, she couldn't help but think that maybe her mom was right, about taking a break from all the save Emma and Mary Margaret magic stuff. The disquiet in her head was only silenced when she crawled into bed beside her mother, and felt a secure arm wrap around her, not pushing her away.


	16. The Crocodile

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Never will.

* * *

04- The Crocodile

It had been an interesting few days for Ally Lucas. She hasn't seen Henry for five whole days unless they're at school. Their new substitute teacher didn't appreciate they're long reunions hugs each day, and Henry and Ally can't help but think that Mary Margaret would have been fine with them hugging.

When not in school, Henry is being kept busy with his grandfather Prince Charming or better known in this land as David Nolan. It was easy to tell that there was a rift between the man and his newly discovered almost 15-year-old daughter Rose. The teen was not ready for any of this to happen. She wasn't really for two new parents.

She wasn't ready to have to come to face the reality that her life was a lie, and that the woman who raised her, and was still so easy to think and call mother, was actually evil. So to say that things were quiet in Mary Margaret's and Emma's apartment would be a mistake.

Ally on the other hand was still being amazed each day with how much her mother and Gigi had changed. Sure her Gigi was still as hard and stern as ever, but there was a more battle weariness about her, and she would always double check to make sure that Ally was fed properly throughout the day.

There were a lot less fights between Gigi and Ruby as well, which relieved the young girl. She never did like it when the pair of them would fight, and now it was much easier to see the love that the both of them have for each other. Ruby was much more mature now. Sure there was still the sarcasm and sass that was there before, but now there was a strength and confidence about her that never was there before.

The main thing that Ally liked though, was the intense interest that her mom now had in being with her. Ally had never had this much of her mom's attention focused on her before, and she couldn't help but beam a smile most of the time, even though she missed Henry.

Today found the mother and daughter where they usually were in Granny's diner, Ruby behind the counter, and Ally at her customary bar stool. Ruby was leaning against the counter stealing a fry from Ally's plate every now and then, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, every time her daughter tried to bat her hand away from the plate.

Ruby still couldn't believe at times that the girl sitting in front of her was her baby. She could clearly remember holding her one-year-old daughter in her arms, while Snow told her that she was pregnant. It had made both of the women cry out with glee, and that caused little Ally to add her own jubilant cries into the air while clapping her little hands in glee.

That baby had been her life. Those chocolate brown eyes were so big and so trusting, looking exactly like Peter— the only bit of him that she had left, for Ally looked almost exactly like her, with head full of wavy brown hair. So seeing this girl, this 10-year-old girl sitting in front of her, with Peter's eyes and shoulder length wavy brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, showing off her dimple in her left cheek— she almost couldn't take it again.

But there were moments that she wouldn't give up for the world. Her daughter was brave and her daughter was loyal. She was smart, quick, and almost always quick to smile— but the greatest thing about Ally in Ruby's opinion is her ability to forgive. She forgave Ruby for all of those years for not having the bravery, and constitution of Red. She forgave her, and she loved her. That was not something she would give up, her daughter became the person she wanted her to be, even though she wasn't able to remember and influence most of it.

"You're staring at me again." Ally giggles, taking another bite of her turkey melt that Gigi had cooked up for her earlier.

"Am I? Well that must be because you are the cutest little girl ever Pup." Ruby replies, her grin broadening at the blush darkening the girl's cheeks.

"Mommy?" Ally says after a few moments of silence. Ruby smiles happily at the title, she's been noticing that Ally has been slipping back into calling her that more recently, and it pleases her to no end.

"Yes Pup." Ruby says softly, before stealing another fry, to an exasperated whine, that sounds a little like an actual puppy.

"What was it like in the Enchanted Forest? I don't remember anything… I think it had to be exciting." Ally says her eyes lighting up at the mere thought of the magical place. Ruby's smile immediately turned melancholy, and a bittersweet taste came about.

"It was indeed a truly magical place. It was freeing to live in the woods, and have what seemed like the whole world around you open for the taking, but it was dangerous… extremely so. I didn't know nearly enough about the world around me and myself, and it nearly got me killed, and it—" Ruby chokes unable to finish the sentence, the memory still too painfully clear for her to relate.

A solemn look comes about Ally's face and she reaches across the counter to touch her mother's hand with her cheek.

"I know what happened. I don't blame you, and I don't think that Daddy does either." Ally says softly, panicking when she realizes that there are tears now streaming down Ruby's face. "I'm sorry!" She cries trying to figure out how to fix the damage that she's caused.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Ally. I'm just so happy that I have you back in my life again. That's all." Ruby says leaning forward and delivering a kiss to her daughter's forehead. There's another reason why Ruby would never trade this world for another to go back in time, her daughter is still the sweetest after everything that's happened, and everything she's been through.

With a sigh Ruby pulls away from Ally, and wipes at her eyes, thankful that the eyeliner that she's wearing is actually waterproof for once. She glances around the diner, and notices that the glass is empty in front of a woman at one of the booths. That woman has been here for a good few hours now, and Ruby is beginning to get worried.

"Finish your meal Pup. I don't need Granny coming after me because she thinks you're too skinny again. Heaven knows why, when you eat like you have a hollow leg." Ruby shakes her head as she pours another glass of iced tea.

"That's cause I have two!" Ally says proudly before biting off another piece of her sandwich and moaning, to the amusement of mother and daughter. With a quick roll of her eyes, Ruby makes her way over to the woman in the booth, who has a lost expression on her face.

The woman at the booth was very pretty. She had long curly brown hair, and a pair of bright blue eyes, though they were clouded over with worry at the moment. Ruby had seen that look a few too many times, and had unfortunately been the one with that look once or twice before. Ruby sits down the glass gently so as not to startle the woman too much.

"Thank you." The woman says softly looking up at Ruby with a genuine smile on her face.

"Are you okay? That's your third iced tea this morning. Wouldn't want to call you a cab." Ruby says trying for some humor to break the ice with the stranger.

"No. I… I've never had it iced before. It… it's delicious." The woman says with a slight smile on her face.

"I haven't seen you in here before." Ruby says glancing back at her kid, to make sure that she hasn't gotten into trouble, and has actually done as she's been told. Seeing nothing amiss she returns her attention to the woman.

"Well, I, uh… I've been a kept woman until recently." The woman replies with a rattled look on her face.

"What's a kept woman?" Ally asks sliding into the booth across from the lady. "You're really pretty." She adds with a smile.

"Ally. It's not polite to eavesdrop on people's conversations." Ruby scolds her, but deep down she admires the spunk that the kid shows.

"It's quite alright. Your daughter— isn't she? She adorable. Ally is it? What I meant by kept woman is that I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for a long time, and he won't let me do a lot of things, or see a lot of people." The woman says attempting to explain it as softly and carefully to a ten-year-old as possible.

Ally's eyes widen at this. She looks between her mom and the new lady a few times before speaking. "That sounds terrible! I'm sorry lady." Ally says trying to imagine living a life like that but can't. Ruby sighs, seeing that the questions are only growing in her pup's head now.

"Pup go find Granny, and ask her if she'll help you make some of her famous snicker doodle cookies." Ruby says, pulling Ally lightly out of the booth across from the woman.

"Could I have some if she does?" Ally asks looking at her mother with hope.

"Of course, what's the point of making cookies if there's no one to eat them?" Ruby says with a grin. Ally bounces excitedly before hugging her mom, and to the shock of both women, crawls onto the booth to give a light hug to the sad woman as well.

"My friend Henry always says that hugs are the best. You look like you needed one. Oh, and I'll get you some cookies too! Cookies make everyone feel better, especially my Gigi's!" Ally says, and with a flash the girl scampers off behind the counter and into the kitchen.

"That's some little girl you have there." The woman says with a soft look on her face. "You're lucky."

"I know." Ruby says before the pair fall into silence for a long moment. "So let me guess— bad breakup?"

The woman winces. "I think I may be headed there." She says honestly.

"Do you have a place to stay? Any family here?" Ruby asks beginning to get a little worried for the still nameless woman.

"I… I'm not sure. I'm still looking. But I… I'm on my own for now." She says looking confused and more than a little lost.

"I can ask Granny about a room here." Ruby says easily ready to help the woman out of a bad situation if need be.

"Really?" She asks, looking shocked at the offer. Ruby merely nods her head in response.

"Uh, thanks…"

"Ruby."

"Belle. What I really need, though, is… is a life. A job." Belle says.

"Well, uh, what do you like to do?" Ruby asks, wondering if she should start a job listing board soon.

"I— I do love books." Belle says tentatively.

"The library. It's been closed forever, but, uh, things are changing now. Maybe they need a librarian?" Ruby suggests. Belle's smile is the largest its been since she walked into the diner.

The two go about their business until about an hour later a very excited Ally comes prancing out of the kitchen with a plate of hot snicker doodle cookies, beckoning Belle over to join her and her mom in the feast.

* * *

It isn't until much later that day that the unlikely duo of Prince Charming and Rumplestiltskin come walking through the door. A shiver runs down Ally's spine at the sight of the creepy man who uses magic. She didn't like him before, and she definitely doesn't like him now. She can tell that her mom is of the same opinion, for she ushers her off the stool and behind her, Ally huddles close to her mom, not sure what to make of what's going on.

There's something inside her that's telling her that her mom thinks that there's going to be a fight, and that she needs to stay behind her in protection. Ally wraps her fingers in her mom's belt loops just to reassure herself that her mom is in fact still there, and that there should be nothing to worry about.

"Good day David… Mr. Gold. What can I get for you today. Granny's famous pumpkin pie ran out about twenty minutes ago I'm afraid." Ruby says casually while cleaning a glass with a rag. Ally can instantly tell this this is all Red, Ruby could be like this before, but the extra strength and coolness under pressure had to have been from her new side.

"Ruby, we were wondering if a woman named Belle has been here today by any chance?" David asks softly with a hopeful look on his face. Ally tightens her grip on her mother. Why do they want to know about the nice sad lady from earlier?

"Belle, huh? Sorry, doesn't ring a bell." Ruby says simply returning her focus to her glass.

"Ruby, listen to me. If you've come across her, you've got to tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens." David says earnestly leaning towards her slightly. Ruby's jaw twitches and she looks darkly at Mr. Gold standing behind David.

"Yeah, but what about him?" She asks in practically a growl.

"I've got him. Trust me." David says. It takes a good while before Ruby responds to him.

"She was in here earlier. She was looking for a job. I pointed her in the direction of the library." Ruby eventually says, not looking to happy at having given away that information.

"Well, you think she went there?" Mr. Gold demands, speaking up for the first time, causing Ally to flinch from behind her mother. The flinch caused Ruby to tense up.

"Don't know. But when you find her, give her this. She left it in her booth." Ruby says pulling out a sweater from the lost and found box underneath the counter.

"Well, that's mine. She didn't have anything for the cold." Mr. Gold says in what almost seems like a soft manner.

"You sure you'll watch out for her?" Ruby says directing her question back at David.

"Yes. Why?" He asks.

"I think… I think I can find her. Lately, since things changed, I've been, uh, a little more sensitive to odors." Ruby says shifting uncomfortably. She has bene having to deal with the possibility that the wolf may be coming back in this world, and she's not sure how to rectify that part of herself, with her daughter, who has never had to experience this curse before.

"Well, you can smell her?" Mr. Gold says dubiously.

"I guess its cause of the wolf thing." Ruby says with a shrug, before reaching back and pulling her daughter away from her.

"I'm going to need you to stay here Pup." Ruby says softly, crouching down until she locks eyes with the child.

"No! I want to stay with you! That nice lady from earlier might be hurt! I don't want to be alone…" Ally practically whimpers at the end of the sentence. She can't very well tell her mother that even though she's become this fierce capable woman, that she's still scared for her to be alone with Mr. Gold, even when David is there.

Ruby looks at Ally for a long moment and sighs. She knows that this is a time where it will do more harm than good to Ally to leave her alone. Plus, it will slowly introduce her to the wolf. Ruby rises from the crouch and turns to face the two men.

"Ally comes, or I don't come at all." She says simply, crossing her arms over her chest. David nods his head slowly, while Mr. Gold rolls his eyes.

"We do not have all day. Time is of the essence!" He exclaims before pushing his way out of the diner with the group following behind him. Ally holds onto her mom's right hand tightly as, she puts the sweater to her face, and breathes Belle's scent in deeply.

They off foursome walk for a little while before Ruby comes to a stop in front of Moe's flower shop. Ally glances up at her mother unsure what this means.

"What's wrong?" David asks coming up to the pair worriedly.

"I had her, but, uh… I lost her trail. It must be the flowers. I… I can't track her anymore. I'm sorry." Ruby says, rubbing her daughter's back lightly when she sneezes from the scent of flowers in the air.

"Don't be. This is her father's shop." Mr. Gold says with a fairly scary look on his face, which makes Ally press closer to her mother as he passes them to go into the shop.

"Well this can't be good." David says before leading the rest of the group into the shop. Once inside, the sheer abundance of flowers begins to overwhelm Ally, and she presses her nose into her mom's shirt trying to focus on her scent instead of the flowers.

"You again. Out! This is a private establishment— you're not welcome here!" The man who is obviously Moe shouts. Moe was a slightly chubby middle-aged man, wearing a white ball cap, and a face that was red with anger as he pointed a shaking finger at Mr. Gold. Unable to stop herself, Ally sneezes.

"Where's Belle!" Mr. Gold demands, and Ally squeaks by the amount of anger that's in his voice. Ally is grateful that she has her mom here, because if she wasn't there was no way she would still be here unless Henry was here.

"I won't let anything happen to her Moe." David promises holding his hands up in a pleading gesture.

"We're just worried." Ruby adds, in though her attention turns back to her kid after another sneeze.

"Don't be. She's safe. You can stop looking." Moe says with a hard look about his face.

"Look, if I could just have a chance to talk to her." Mr. Gold says in a semi pleading voice much different from the one before.

"You will destroy Belle like you destroy everything else. Well, I won't let that happen." Moe says darkly, before casting his gaze Ally's way at another sneeze.

"What have you done with her?" Mr. Gold growls advancing towards the flower shop owner.

"There's only one way to get her—" Moe starts before Mr. Gold jabs him in the chest with his cane.

"What have you done with her?" This time the demand sounds even deadlier than before if that's even possible. Not even the sneeze of a small child can break the atmosphere.

"I have to make her forget you. No matter the cost. Even if it means she forgets me too." Moe says, his voice chocking up at the thought of his own daughter not remembering him anymore.

"He's sending her across the town line." Mr. Gold says, his already pale face, losing more color. Thankfully the four of them with Moe in tow exit the shop, much to the relief of one little girl.

"I think you might be allergic to flowers pup." Ruby says after a few minutes with no sneezing coming from her daughter.

"There was too many… it was awful mommy." Ally whines, rubbing her nose, still trying to get the excess scent out of it.

"Where are you sending Belle across? You know we have patrols on the town line to make sure no one crosses accidentally. So, how are you planning to pull it off?" David demands looking at Moe harshly, and directing everyone's attention back on the matter at hand.

Mr. Gold lunges at Moe, and pins him against a truck with his cane.

"Where? Where are you sending them across? Tell me!" He demands, his voice rising to a yell.

As Moe starts going purple in the face, David intervenes. "Stop it! You're going to kill him!" He growls pulling Mr. Gold off of the other man. Once Mr. Gold is off of Moe, his gaze drifts down to Moe's hands. They're covered in a thick dust.

"You've been down in the mines. The tunnels— they lead out of town." David says, his face paling, before the group breaks out into the run.

* * *

It was honestly the last place that Ally wanted to go. Ever since her last adventure in the mines, she absolutely loathed the place, but if her mom was brave enough to go in, and that lady Belle really did need help, then Ally was just going to have to suck it up, and live with the fact that she will be going to a second place that she hates today. Wasn't the flower shop of death enough already?

Luckily, the group didn't have to venture too far into the mine, before they heard screaming, and came across the coal cart track. Ally begins to fear that Belle will lose her memory when a stream of magic shoots out of Mr. Gold's hand, and starts pulling the cart and its unwilling passenger back to the beginning of the track where the group is waiting.

When the cart comes to a stop, the handcuffs on Belle magically break as well.

"That is seriously… wow." Ruby says, not even having words for the magic that was performed there, though she does clutch her daughter a little closer to her.

"Belle? Are you alright?" Mr. Gold asks worriedly looking the woman over.

"Yeah. I uh, think so." Belle says looking around at the assembled group tiredly.

"You remember who I am?" Mr. Gold asks, looking afraid to know the answer to that question.

"I do, Rumplestiltskin. I… I remember." She says. Mr. Gold pulls her into a hug, but its not one that she returns.

"Belle, what's wrong?" Mr. Gold asks now looking worried again instead of relieved.

"Thank you for what you just did, but that doesn't change that you're too cowardly to be honest with me." Bell says pulling away from Mr. Gold.

"Well, Belle, that's just—" Mr. Gold stutters before being cut off by Moe.

"I tried to tell them that Belle. Come with me, darling." Moe says holding his hand out for his daughter.

"After what you just tried to do to me? You're no better, Father. You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do. If either of you cared about me, you would've listened. I don't want to see either of you again. Ever." Belle says firmly, before turning and marching away from the group towards the exit.

After a second, Ruby pulls Ally along so that they can catch up with the hurt woman.

"You know, I think that this calls for some cocoa at Granny's that will warm you right back up, and we can figure out what to do from there." Ruby says once they are alongside Belle. Ally's eyes light up at the mention of cocoa.

"Have you ever had cocoa Belle? It's the best!" Ally cries happily, reaching out with her free hand to take Belle's. For a second she looks shocked at the small hand within hers, before returning the gesture with a small squeeze.

"No, I can't say that I've ever had some…"

* * *

Back at Granny's Diner Ruby serves an overwhelmed Belle, and an overexcited Ally two plates of pancakes (much to the little girl's delight).

"This one, is a classic. The syrup, goes on the pancakes. It's, um, round things… But I kind of like it when it gets on everything." Ruby says with a smile, while watching Ally like a hawk as she uses the syrup. "Not too much Pup, I want to actually be able to get you to bed tonight." Ruby says, pulling the bottle away, after Ally officially drowns her pancakes.

"You know, um… Thank you. I-I mean not just for this, but… For everything." Belle says giving Ruby a grateful look, and smiling at Ally's puffed out pancake cheeks.

"No worries. And stay here until you're on your feet. Granny will be fine with it. Oh! I almost forgot. Someone, dropped this off for you at the front desk." Ruby says pulling a box off the counter and placing it down on the table next to Belle.

Not able to contain her interest any longer, Belle opens the box to reveal a key inside that says library on it. When Belle holds it up for them to see, Ally breaks into a big smile.

"Does that mean that the library will open? Henry and I have been wanting new books for ages!" She cries happily, taking a sip of her peppermint cocoa. Belle smiles at the excitement that Ally gets from the prospect of the library opening.

"I believe so." Belle says softly, before turning her attention back to the pancakes in front of her. Surprisingly it doesn't take long for the child across from her eyes to start drooping, and a yawn to break through.

Belle glances outside and sees that it has really grown quite dark, and it was an exciting day. She watches with amusement as Ally tries to fight her heavy eyes, and before her body can slump towards the table, Ruby swoops in, and picks up her daughter with ease.

"I was just waiting for her to crash. A little too much excitement for one day, I believe." Ruby says with a grin, as she rubs her hand up and down her sleeping child's back.

"I couldn't agree more." Belle sighs, before looking back down at the key in the box.


End file.
